


Lost In Shadow

by sparklepox (travelingpsycho)



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-18
Updated: 2017-07-05
Packaged: 2018-11-15 17:49:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 75,447
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11236104
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/travelingpsycho/pseuds/sparklepox
Summary: A prince and three ordinary men under an extraordinary curse face darkness and cruelty, but also hope, and most of all, love.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> **Author's Note:** Thank you to my local theater company's awesome production of Beauty and the Beast for inspiring this fic, to Difa for lots of help and also Kyungsoo, to Ash and Lily and everyone who cheered me on while writing this. Bonus shout-out to my sister for taking me to see Beauty and the Beast and getting inspired to write fic for her own fandom by the exact same line. XD
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>  **Warnings:** MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS. SCROLL PAST IF YOU WANT TO AVOID SPOILERS. 
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> mention of hunting animals for food, creepy gradual magical shapeshifting, creepy gradual magical mindfucking, minor character death, extremely brief and cryptic implication of suicidal thoughts, one time unintentional dub-con kissing due to magic, mostly glossed over blood and violence, some disturbing imagery, I swear things turn out okay in the end

_"I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to frighten you. I didn’t mean to hurt. You don’t understand. There’s so little left of me… So little left…"_

_\- Beauty and the Beast (the musical)_

 

 

Once upon a time, in a small village, there was a man. He was a good man, kind and generous, slow to anger and quick to forgive. He was a quiet man, unremarkable, but he was a good man.

There was a good woman too, kind and generous and gentle, and the man fell in love with her and she with him. They made a good match, quietly loving, caring to each other and to the people around them.

There was another man as well, and he was not such a good man. He was selfish and vain, believing himself above everyone else. He coveted the woman, though he told himself it was love, and he couldn't understand why she would choose such a common, unimpressive man over him. It made him angry and bitter, and so he left the village, thinking that it served the people there right to lose the blessing of his presence.

In the village, people paid attention to him and he felt special, but out in the wide world, no one seemed to care that he existed. It made his anger grow, and he fell into darker moods, and in time, into dark magics that only enhanced his worst qualities and slowly ground away what goodness there was in him.

Some years later, he returned to his hometown with anger in his heart, and saw the couple whose union had sent him away. They were still happy together, and they had a little boy, a good child, quiet and kind like his parents. The man watched the boy play in front of his house with his two best friends, and his bitterness intensified. The world had not been kind to him, and here were the two people he blamed for it, happy and fulfilled, with a happy child.

Drawing on those dark magics he had learned, the man placed a curse on the little boy and his laughing friends. It wouldn't strike yet, but later, when the boy was the age his parents had been when they fell in love, the age the man had been when his life began to fall apart. It would hurt his parents and his friends, and it would hurt this boy—this innocent little boy—the most. 

_One day you'll understand what it's like to have darkness inside of you and not be able to fight it,_ the man thought. _Your mother and father think themselves so good, so kind, so proper, but they'll suffer learning that they raised a monster. Oh, how they'll suffer._

With that, the true monster left, a cruel smile on his face.

 

***

 

When Han was young, his nursemaid used to frighten him with stories about demons in the woods, terrifying monsters and others that looked human but were equally terrifying inside. That's what he thinks about as he wanders through these woods with no idea where he is. The light that reaches through the trees is dim and further obscured by fog, but he wouldn't know where to go regardless. All the trees look the same, strange and ominous.

His head swims and his vision blurs, the trees starting to look more and more like demons. He's hot and cold at the same time, and so tired that he wants nothing more than to lie down, heedless of the snow on the ground, and sleep. He's lost and scared and if he can't go home, what's left for him in the world? What's the use in fighting to survive?

He keeps walking more by reflex than out of any desire to do so, stumbling through drifts of snow. At least the snow has stopped falling, but it's piled up on the ground, obscuring any path that might exist. Are there paths in woods like these, at the far edge of the kingdom? Han knows so little about this place and what dangers it might hold, or what faint hope of help.

Han's foot hits a hidden tree root and he trips and falls to the ground. It stings when he catches himself on his hands, and the cushioning snow soaks into his gloves, chilling his hands. He's so cold and so tired and he knows he should get up, but he can't summon the energy or the willpower to do so.

Maybe it's better this way, he thinks. What is he anymore, as a prince in exile? What purpose is there to his life? If he lies down and dies here, he'll never have to answer those questions.

_I'm so cold. So cold._ He closes his eyes and lets his head fall. The snow feels almost pleasant on a face burning with fever, and the woods no longer seem frightening, only quiet and peaceful.

_I'm sorry,_ is the last coherent thought Han has before the world fades away.

 

*** 

 

"Where's Baekhyun?" Jongdae asks. "How long does it take to get wood?" There's a pile of wood right outside their door, so it shouldn't take more than a few minutes to gather an armful.

"Maybe he got lost. Should we go look for him?" Minseok grudgingly suggests. The snow has stopped, but it's cold outside and he doesn't want to leave the warmth of their house to rescue Baekhyun, most likely only from himself.

Jongdae looks at Minseok and laughs at his obvious reluctance. "I'll go. Stay here and keep the fire going for us."

Baekhyun doesn't return in the time it takes Jongdae to bundle up and leave the house, and Minseok wonders where he's gone and if there's reason to worry. Baekhyun can take care of himself, but there are wolves in the woods who might find him interesting. Minseok stokes the fire, distracting himself from those thoughts until the door suddenly bursts open, sending a blast of frigid air into the room. It's Jongdae and Baekhyun, and in Baekhyun's arm is a person, lying so limp Minseok can't be sure he's alive.

"What happened?" he asks.

"I thought I saw something in the woods," Baekhyun explains. "I went to look and found him lying in the snow."

"Is he hurt?"

"I think he's sick, but it might just be from the cold," Baekhyun answers.

Jongdae touches his hand to the man's cheek. "He's freezing. We have to get him warmed up. Put him in front of the fire."

Baekhyun carefully sets the man down in front of the fire while Minseok runs to fetch as many blankets as he can gather. He comes back to find Jongdae removing the man's sodden gloves while Baekhyun tugs off his boots. "I think we need to take everything off," Jongdae says. "He was covered in snow and it's soaked into everything. He'll never get warm like this."

Under other circumstances, Minseok would feel awkward stripping a complete stranger naked, but it's a matter of life and death right now. Between the three of them, they quickly get the man's clothes off and wrap him in blankets in front of the fire. Jongdae sits with him, holding him as close to the fire as is safe, while Minseok hangs up the wet clothes and the small pack the man was carrying and Baekhyun goes back outside to finally bring in some firewood.

"Who do you think he is?" Jongdae asks when the tasks are done and they all sit together in front of the fire. "He's not from the village." They know everyone in the nearby village, and newcomers are rare.

Minseok studies the man, seeing up close how young and fragile he looks. "Why would anyone not from around here be walking in the woods in this weather?" Baekhyun asks. "It's dangerous if you don't know your way around."

"It's dangerous even if you do know your way," Jongdae puts in. He touches a hand to the man's cheek again, and the man startles them all by flinching ever so slightly away. "You're awake!" The man tries to pull away, so Jongdae hastily continues in his most soothing voice, "It's all right. You're safe here, but you're sick and we need to warm you up. Just stay still. You're among friends." Whether because of Jongdae's words or because he's fallen into a stupor again, the man goes still.

"Are we sure it's safe for us, having him here?" Baekhyun asks in a low voice, as if the man can't hear. (For all Minseok knows, he can't. He's lying limp again in Jongdae's arms, his eyes still closed.) "He could be anyone."

"We can't just leave him," Jongdae counters. "We'll be careful, but he's no danger to anyone like this."

They keep the man in front of the fire as Minseok prepares dinner (with help from Jongdae once Baekhyun takes his place holding the man). Minseok would like to get some hot soup in him, but he's either unconscious or very sound asleep, not even stirring when Baekhyun pulls him away from the fire to make room for the soup pot. "Let him sleep," Baekhyun says when Minseok brings up the possibility of dinner. "The important thing now is to warm him up."

The man sleeps all through dinner and into the evening, despite Baekhyun and Jongdae's typical noisy chatter, and only wakes up when they move him to the bed. (Their home is small, so they share the one bed, except when Baekhyun is too noisy and Minseok kicks him out to sleep on the floor.) He still seems confused, but he looks at Minseok through squinted eyes and asks, in a hoarse voice barely above a whisper, "Where...?"

"We found you in the woods and brought you to our cabin," Jongdae tells him. "You're very sick, so you need to rest, but we'll take care of you. Can you tell me your name?"

The man takes in a deep breath, as if speaking requires a herculean effort, but he manages to say, "Han."

"It's nice to meet you, Han," Jongdae says, "though I do wish it was under better circumstances. I'm Jongdae, and this is Baekhyun and Minseok." Han's eyes are already drifting closed and Minseok doubts he even heard, but that's all right. There will be time for introductions when Han is feeling better.

He falls back asleep before they can offer him food or anything else, leaving the rest of them to get ready to sleep. "Can we all fit?" Baekhyun asks. "I know how Minseok hates it when we kick him." He grins cheekily at Minseok, entirely unapologetic.

"I'll sleep by the fire if I have to," Minseok says. "It'll be cold anyway, since we gave Han all the blankets."

Baekhyun laughs, but Jongdae sobers and says, "I'm not suggesting we turn him out in this state, but we should be careful."

"Of him?" Minseok asks.

"Yes, I suppose, but also of us." Jongdae doesn't need to explain what he means. They don't live out here, away from the village, for nothing. They have secrets to keep, protecting themselves from other people and other people from them.

Baekhyun frowns; he doesn't like being reminded of their situation. "It's fine, isn't it? We're hardly so far gone." The 'yet' goes unspoken, but Minseok hears it anyway, especially when Baekhyun and Jongdae both dart nervous glances toward him. It's not themselves, really, that Baekhyun and Jongdae are worried about.

"We'll take good care of him," Minseok says firmly. He's all too aware of the curse and what it will mean for him, but he's still himself, mostly. Han won't be here long enough for that to change, so it doesn't matter.

Neither Baekhyun nor Jongdae likes to dwell on unpleasant things, so they're all too happy to accept Minseok's answer without question. "Good, then let's sleep," Jongdae declares. "You don't think he'll mind having us there, do you?"

"It's our bed," Baekhyun points out. "Besides, it's warmer sleeping together."

They bank the fire and get in bed, Minseok in his customary position on the inside edge, closest to the fire. Jongdae is next to him, then Han and then Baekhyun against the outer wall. Han doesn't stir as they settle in, so Minseok doubts he minds at all, at least for now. 

Baekhyun always falls asleep the fastest, his little snuffling noises telling Minseok he's out. Jongdae takes a little longer, fidgeting into a more comfortable position before murmuring a soft "Goodnight" and going still. That leaves Minseok the only one awake, taking a moment to enjoy the peace that only comes at night when Baekhyun and Jongdae are asleep and the world is quiet.

He can't see Han over Jongdae, but he's aware of the strange man's presence. It's a sudden change in the routine they've settled into since moving away from the village, bringing a stranger into their home. Minseok normally appreciates routine, but life gets dull out here at the edge of the woods, even with Baekhyun and Jongdae to keep things lively. He doesn't mind a temporary change. 

Besides, the curse has been hanging heavy over them for the last two months, since the visible effects began. Minseok is happy to have a distraction from waiting for the inevitable. He knows better than to think it's anything more than a brief distraction—it has to be, for all their sakes—but it's nice to worry about someone else for a change, and to be able to do something about those worries. Hopefully they can help Han the way they can't seem to help themselves.

Minseok closes his eyes, huddling closer to Jongdae in search of warmth, and also to drive away the dark thoughts that always seem to be lurking in the corner of his mind these days. He doesn't know what is the curse and what is his response to it, but wherever it comes from, he doesn't want to allow himself to feel so negative, sad and hopeless and sometimes angry. _Sleep,_ he tells himself firmly. _Everything always looks brighter in the morning._ Comforted by Jongdae's steady breathing, he drifts off to sleep.

 

***

 

Heat, like a fire or the hottest summer day, like sun beating down and making his cheeks burn. He's so hot, smothered in blankets, and he tries to push them off, but they come back up to his chin as if by magic.

Human voices, some soft and some loud, and then suddenly the howl of a wolf, close enough to startle Han.

"Relax," a comforting voice tells him. "You're safe here."

Safe? Is anywhere safe now?

"Stop! It's poisoned," a distant voice yells, and the memory coalesces around him.

The king dropping his glass and jumping away from the dripping wine. Jeongsu casting a horrified look at Han, nothing in his brother's expression to suggest that he wasn't shocked. Guards searching Han, ignoring his protests of innocence and bringing forth a vial of poison he had never seen before. "I didn't..."

His brother, his beloved eldest brother, in his bedroom, expression twisted into an evil smirk the likes of which Han had never seen on his face before. "How will you survive exile, my sweet little brother? It won't matter out in the wilderness how much people here love you."

Darkness, an ominous cloud around Jeongsu, seeping into his eyes. His brother's face morphs into that of an unfamiliar man, but the darkness remains, swirling around him. Another shift and Han is looking at the face of a boy, far too young and innocent to have such darkness around him. The darkness soaks into his skin and disappears, and he laughs, a cruel, hateful sound that fills Han with fear and hurts his heart at the same time.

Cold, deep cold in his bones, chilling his mind and body. How is he so cold when he was so hot a moment ago? He shivers and pulls the blankets close around him.

A warm hand touches his forehead. "Sleep." Is it the same voice as before? It makes him want to smile and cry at the same time, and he doesn't understand why. He's so tired he can't think.

"Sleep. We'll take care of you."

The world fades away.

 

***

 

"Do you think he'll be all right?" Jongdae asks once Han is asleep. "He seems very sick, and we don't know how long he was like this before we found him?"

"It might be time to fetch the doctor." Minseok isn't sure how much their village doctor can do, but there's no harm in trying. They have no secrets that they can't easily hide right now.

"I'll go!" Baekhyun enthusiastically volunteers. Minseok isn't surprised. Baekhyun misses living in the village the most out of the three of them. He's always eager to go back there while he still can.

"All right," Minseok says. "Tell him it's not urgent, but he should come as soon as he can."

When Baekhyun is gone, Jongdae turns his attention to Han, who is still sleeping soundly. "Do you think something happened to him? He seemed scared earlier."

"He's feverish. Who knows what's going on in his head?"

"But it would explain why he was out here all alone with so little." They looked through Han's pack this morning, hoping to find a hint of who he is. A small bag of gold coins, on top of his well-made clothes, showed that he's from a good background, but he had barely any food, nothing to hunt with and only a thin blanket for sleep.

"It is strange that someone so soft was alone in the woods in winter. Do you think someone wanted him dead?" Minseok asks.

Jongdae frowns. "He looks too innocent for anyone to want dead, but it would explain a lot. I would think he's a criminal, but wouldn't he just be executed in that case? They would never give him gold, that's for sure."

"Who can say?" Minseok studies Han, who does indeed look young and innocent with his fever-flushed cheeks. "We do know well that being punished doesn't always mean that you did something wrong."

Jongdae's lips quirk into that sad smile Minseok has become so familiar with in recent months. "Very true. For now, let's do what we can to help him, and not judge him until we know more."

Minseok nods. He would only hope someone would do the same for him.

It's not a long walk to the village, but there's enough snow piled up on the ground to present a challenge, so the sun is high in the sky by the time Baekhyun returns with the village doctor in tow. Junmyeon is only a year older than them, but he's all they've got since his mentor passed away last year. "Hello, Minseok, Jongdae," he greets them. "It's good to see you."

"Hello," Jongdae says.

Minseok nods a greeting. "You didn't need to rush him here," he tells Baekhyun.

"Oh, it's all right," Junmyeon assures him. "There was nothing that needed my attention in town today. Is this the patient?" He turns to the bed, where Han is sleeping fitfully again.

"Yes, that's him." Jongdae doesn't offer any explanation of what he's doing here, but knowing Baekhyun, he's already talked Junmyeon's ear off about finding Han in the woods.

Junmyeon walks over to the bed and places a hand on Han's forehead. "He has a high fever. Has he been sleeping all day?"

"He woke up briefly earlier," Jongdae says, "but he barely even opened his eyes, and he wasn't thinking clearly. He seemed afraid, as if he was seeing things."

They get out of Junmyeon's way while he examines Han, who scarcely reacts to the doctor's touches. After a few minutes, he turns and says, "He seems to have recovered well from the cold, thanks to you, and there's no sign of injuries. I can't find any indication of what illness is causing the fever, but we'll do what we can to break it. Now that he's not freezing, you can take off the blankets and use cold compresses. I'll give you some willow bark to make tea with when he's awake enough to drink it. If he's no less tired and confused in a day or two, come see me again. A fever this high can be very dangerous."

They pay Junmyeon for his services with a rabbit Jongdae caught that morning, and he heads off back to the village. Minseok catches Baekhyun watching him go with a wistful expression on his face, but only for a moment before he covers it with a smile and declares, "So, let's see what we can do. Whoever Han is, I don't want him dying on our watch." 

 

***

 

Han can make out voices, but the words are garbled, as if they're speaking a language he doesn't know. _Where am I?_ he thinks. He tries to open his eyes, but his eyelids feel as heavy as boulders.

The woods. He remembers woods in black and white, the perfect white of fresh snow and the black of bare trees in dim winter light. He remembers cold and fear and loneliness and despair. _Why am I alive?_

"Are you awake?" The words are comprehensible now, and Han finds he can squint his eyes open enough to see a young man with kind eyes and a cat-like smile. "Bring the tea, quick," the man says, looking over his shoulder.

"Here." The second voice is softer, but Han starts when he sees its owner. He's seen that face before, surrounded by darkness, laughing cruelly. "I'm not going to hurt you," the boy assures him, and he doesn't sound cruel, but Han can't control his fear.

"Give it to me, Minseok," the smiling man says, no longer smiling. "I'll do it." He puts a gentle hand behind Han's neck and lifts his head so he can drink. The tea is bitter and Han almost spits it out, grimacing as the first sip goes down. "I know it's not pleasant, but it will help you feel better," the man assures him.

It's exhausting keeping his eyes open, so Han closes them again, focusing on drinking the tea until there's none left and the man lets him lie down again. "There we go. Now sleep, and get well." Something cold touches his forehead, and it feels good against the heat.

The voices fade into nonsense again as sleep reaches for Han, but he falls through memories on his way down. The king declaring, "You will be exiled to the far reaches of the kingdom and executed if you ever return to the castle. Do not abuse my mercy." The queen standing by his side, eyes wet with tears, but hard and unforgiving. 

Yunho shaking his head when Han tried to tell him the truth, unable to believe that his younger brother had tried to poison their father, but even less able to believe that their older brother had framed him for it.

Jeongsu, the happier version of his brother that Han remembers playing with as a small child, before the responsibilities of being the crown prince stole him away, but only for a fleeting moment before he's hard and angry again, that same darkness swirling around him.

The darkness closes around Jeongsu, and when it parts, Han sees that innocent, boyish face again—Minseok, the other man called him. Minseok's smile seems to waver, kind and then cruel, kind and cruel, as the darkness pulses. _Don't let it take you,_ Han thinks without understanding why. _Don't let it take me. Don't let it win._

"We won't," a voice whispers, too quiet for Han to identify the speaker. "But you can't fight like this, so rest."

_Please hold on,_ Han thinks, before he gives in to sleep.

 

***

 

When Han is still half lost in another world by midday the following day, Baekhyun returns to the village to fetch Junmyeon. He's gone a long time, but at last he returns with Junmyeon and another man Minseok doesn't recognize. The stranger is around Minseok's height, but hunched in on himself in a way that makes him seem smaller. He doesn't look at Minseok or Jongdae as Junmyeon introduces them. "This is Kyungsoo."

"He's a sorcerer!" Baekhyun adds, excited to know something Minseok and Jongdae don't. "He lives in that little house we saw further into the woods."

Kyungsoo looks harmless, if somewhat unfriendly, and neither Baekhyun nor Junmyeon seem worried, but Minseok is wary. What little experience he's had with magic has not been positive. Who's to say Kyungsoo's is any different? Besides, what is a sorcerer doing here, when they called for a doctor?

"I can assure you I don't make a habit of bringing sorcerers along on my house calls," Junmyeon says, as if reading Minseok's mind, "but part of my training included learning about the interactions between magic and illness. I've only seen one case of a magic-related fever before, but Han's reminded me of it, so I asked Kyungsoo to come and see if my instincts are correct."

"A magical fever?" Jongdae asks. "I didn't know there was such a thing."

"It's rare," Junmyeon explains, "but not unheard of."

"The fever itself is not magical." Kyungsoo's voice is much lower than Minseok expects from the way he looks. He walks over to the bed where Han is tossing and turning, seemingly unaware of all the people in the house. "It's no different than any other fever except that the trigger is magical. Just as an ordinary fever won't break until the disease begins to pass, a magical fever remains until the underlying magical imbalance is corrected."

Minseok doesn't entirely understand the explanation, but Kyungsoo sounds knowledgeable, and he must be if Junmyeon trusts him to help. Kyungsoo rests his hand on Han's chest, over his heart, and closes his eyes. For a solid minute, he's still and quiet, long enough for Baekhyun to start making faces, but then he abruptly turns around. "You were right," he tells Junmyeon. "It's magical."

"Can you fix it?" Junmyeon asks.

Kyungsoo nods shortly. "The source is very dark but relatively elementary magic. I shouldn't have any trouble driving it out, but I'll need to focus."

"Of course," Junmyeon says. "What do you need us to do?"

"Get out. All of you." Kyungsoo's tone is calm, not overtly rude, but he makes no effort to soften his words. Perhaps being a sorcerer who lives alone in the woods is enough to make someone forget about politeness, or perhaps he simply doesn't care. Regardless, if he can help Han when a doctor can't, he doesn't need to be polite.

It's sunny but cold outside, and Minseok puts on his warmest coat and winds a scarf around his neck before leaving the house, ignoring Baekhyun's predictable teasing. They go a short distance from the house, hopefully enough to give Kyungsoo the quiet he needs. "Since I don't think you'll have further need of my services, I'll head back to the village," Junmyeon says. "You know where to find me if you do need anything." He looks over at the house, a thoughtful expression on his face, but then he only smiles and says, "Take care."

"I wonder what he thinks of us living out here," Jongdae says once Junmyeon is out of earshot. "Minseok wanting to be hermit isn't surprising, but not all three of us." Baekhyun barks out a laugh, and Minseok and Jongdae shush him.

"It's not important what he thinks," Minseok says. "I'm sure he doesn't suspect the real reason." He tries to ignore the guilt he feels at Jongdae's words. The curse isn't his fault, but he feels a certain sense of responsibility, since it's only because of their friendship with him that Baekhyun and Jongdae were cursed. He knows, also, that it's harder for them to be isolated like this than it is for him.

A few seconds tick by, but silence never lasts long with Baekhyun and Jongdae around. "Should we ask Kyungsoo about the curse?" Baekhyun asks. "If he's capable of fixing whatever's magically wrong with Han, maybe he could fix us too."

Jongdae's eyes widen, and Minseok can see hope spring in them. "It can't hurt to ask, though it might be better to ask generally and then decide if it's worth telling him about our situation."

"What do you think he can offer us that no one else could?" Minseok wishes he could feel the same hope as Jongdae, but he doesn't. "Have you forgotten already?" They went in search of help when they first found out about the curse, but a sorcerer and two witches all gave them the same response: unless they could find the man who cursed them and get the truth from him, there was no way to find out how to break the curse. Given that they don't know the man or have any idea where to find him, there might as well be no way at all to find out.

The light dims in Jongdae's eyes. "What's the harm in asking?" Baekhyun counters. "At worst, he'll tell us the same thing we've heard already. Are you so ready to give up that you don't even want to try?"

"And what if I am?" Minseok snaps. He doesn't stop and think about what he said until he sees the way Baekhyun and Jongdae are looking at him.

"I've never known you to give up easily," Jongdae says quietly. He doesn't need to say more because they all know what he's thinking: _is it the curse stealing away your optimism?_

Minseok looks at the ground so he doesn't have to see his friends' expressions. He doesn't know if it's the curse making him feel like this or if it's only that the existence of the curse makes it harder to stay positive, and he's afraid to find out which. Whatever it is, he doesn't want to let that part of him win. "All right. Let's ask. But I agree that we shouldn't tell him any more than we need to unless he claims he can help."

Neither Baekhyun nor Jongdae says anything more about Minseok's attitude, but Jongdae rests his hand on Minseok's back, offering some small comfort. Selfishly, despite his guilt, Minseok is glad that he's not alone in facing this.

It's not long, perhaps half an hour, before Kyungsoo emerges from the house, but long enough for Minseok to be chilled through from standing still in the cold. "I'm finished," Kyungsoo calls over to them. "You can come inside." When they do, he says, "The patient's fever has broken. He's sleeping now. The recovery from this kind of fever tends to be long, but there's no reason he shouldn't recover fully in time."

Kyungsoo turns down their offer of a freshly caught squirrel as payment, asking instead to take some of their firewood. "I hate gathering wood, and I hate chopping it even more." He sounds childishly disgruntled, and it makes Minseok smile.

Once payment is settled, Kyungsoo is ready to leave, but Jongdae stops him. "May we ask you one more thing before you go?"

Kyungsoo answers with a curious look, so Baekhyun asks, "Do you know much about curses?"

"I do." Kyungsoo's brow furrows slightly, as if he's trying to figure out what this is about. "What do you want to know?"

"What can you tell us about how to break a curse?" Baekhyun's trying to be casual, but it's obvious to Minseok than it's feigned. He wonders if it's equally obvious to Kyungsoo that this is something important to him.

"There are many ways to break a curse," Kyungsoo answers. "There's always a way; it's part of the nature of curses."

"And how can you find that way?" Jongdae asks hopefully.

"Every curse is different. Only the person who places a curse knows how it can be broken."

Jongdae slumps at hearing the now familiar response, but Baekhyun presses, his voice rising, "Is there really no way to know otherwise? There must be something."

Kyungsoo eyes Baekhyun coolly, and Minseok feels as if he can see right through them and know everything. "I can tell you this: the way to break a curse always has something to do with the reason it was placed. For example, if a man is cursed for stealing from a friend, the curse will be broken when he performs an act of unselfish generosity. That can provide a hint, but it's not always easy to predict, and it may be something out of the cursed person's control, such as having someone fall in love with them."

"The curse can only be broken that one way?" Jongdae asks. "There's no magic that can fix it?"

"I'm afraid not." Finally, Kyungsoo asks what he's no doubt been wondering this whole time. "Do you have a curse you'd like to break?"

Baekhyun laughs, an awkward, too loud laugh that makes it very obvious they're hiding something. "Just curious, that's all! It's not every day we get to talk to a sorcerer."

Kyungsoo gives Baekhyun such a skeptical look that it makes Jongdae burst out laughing, but all he says is, "I'll be going, then, if that's all you need."

"Yes," Minseok says. "Thank you for your help."

Jongdae barely waits until the door closes behind Kyungsoo to smack Baekhyun hard on the shoulder. "You are the _worst_ liar."

"He must have known anyway." Baekhyun shivers exaggeratedly. "He made me feel like he knows everything about me." Jongdae rolls his eyes, and Minseok laughs, glad of Baekhyun's silliness to dissipate the tension in the room after that conversation.

Silence slowly falls, the mood shifting, and Jongdae says, "So it seems magic can't save us."

"But Kyungsoo did give us a hint of how to find the way to break the curse," Minseok puts in. It's not much, but it's the first time they've heard of the connection to the reason the curse was placed.

"Why were we cursed?" Baekhyun asks. "Because some evil man was angry that Minseok's parents were happier than him?"

"And because Minseok's mother didn't love him," Jongdae adds. "Could this curse be broken by love?"

"It could be about love, or about happiness, or about something we haven't considered." Baekhyun grimaces. "Do you have any romantic prospects? I had a couple in the village, but the odds aren't looking good here."

"I'm not sure I would call those _romantic_ prospects," Minseok says. Baekhyun earned himself quite the reputation with the girls in the village before they came out here.

"All we have is him." Jongdae gestures at the bed. "Any takers?"

Baekhyun laughs, and Minseok shakes his head, smiling wryly. "If true love is the way to break the curse, we can't force it. As Kyungsoo said, that's out of our control."

"But let's not give up hope, all right?" Jongdae looks at Minseok when he says it, and Minseok smiles, trying to reassure him. It's difficult with what they're up against, and his mind is not entirely his own anymore, but he'll do what he can to hold onto hope for as long as he can.

 

***

 

The first thing Han notices when he wakes up is that he aches all over, but the second thing is that he's neither overheated nor chilled to bone, and the third is that his mind is clear. He blinks against the light of day and sees the inside of a small cabin and no hallucinations or dark memories. He thinks at first that the cabin is empty, but then he notices someone crouching by the fire. The person turns, and it's—what was his name again? Minseok, Han recalls after a moment. 

The fever is gone, but Han still feels a lingering fear at the sight of Minseok, despite his boyish face and innocent expression, remembering the darkness swirling around him. Did it mean anything, or was it only a strange fever dream? There was real darkness in his brother, like what he saw in the dream, but he can't say what's inside of Minseok. He's relieved, at least, when Minseok smiles kindly. "You're awake at last. How are you feeling?"

"Better," Han says. "Thank you."

Minseok gets to his feet and walks over to the bed. "I don't think we've been properly introduced. I'm Minseok. Your name is Han, right?"

"Oh, did I tell you?" Han hopes he didn't reveal anything more than his name while he was too far gone to think better of it. "Yes. It's nice to meet you." He looks around the cabin, trying to remember what else he saw during his relatively lucid moments. "Weren't there more people?"

Minseok laughs a little at that, but not cruelly. "There were some guests here as well, but there's three of us living here. My friends are out gathering firewood. They should be back soon."

"I see. How did I end up here?" He can't find that among the fragments of his jumbled memory.

"Baekhyun—one of my friends—he found you in the woods, lying in the snow, and brought you here. Luckily, we were able to get you warmed up before there was any lasting damage, but then you were feverish for a few days."

"Was I sick?" Han asks. He must have been, to see such strange things.

"You were," Minseok answers. "A dark magic-induced fever, it turns out. It took a sorcerer to heal you."

"Magic..." Han echoes. Did Jeongsu do that too? He must have, but when did he learn to use magic? And that would mean that he wanted Han not only gone from the castle, but dead. He's not ready to think about that yet, so he turns his attention back to Minseok. "Thank you for saving my life." He is grateful, but he wonders if it was worth the effort. The gold Yunho slipped him before he left will be enough to live on for a time, but Han knows nothing about how to live as a commoner. Especially now, as weak as he is, will he be able to survive alone?

Minseok smiles, unaware of Han's worries. "Do you remember what happened before that? We don't often see people in these woods aside from those who live in the village."

"I..." Han bites his lip. He remembers well enough walking in the woods, cold and miserable, but he doesn't know how to explain what he was doing there. His exile has been kept secret from the people, so Minseok and his friends have no reason to be suspicious, but as Minseok said, it's unusual for a traveler to be wandering around in these woods. What believable reason can he offer besides the truth, that he was brought here against his will and left to fend for himself?

Minseok's expression softens. "I understand if perhaps you didn't come here of your own accord. I only want to be sure that you're no threat to us."

Han smiles weakly, tentatively relieved. "You saved my life. I wouldn't do anything to harm you. I—"

He doesn't get to finish his sentence because the door bursts open with unnecessary force and two other young men barge in. "Hello!," one of them declares. "Did you miss us?"

"Terribly." Minseok's answer is so dry that it makes Han laugh, though it turns into a cough after only a moment. His fever may be gone, along with whatever magic caused it, but he's a long way from full recovery.

"Oh, he's awake!" the other man says, hurrying over. "It's good to have you with us. Are you feeling better?"

"Yes, thank you." The energy of Minseok's friends is a little overwhelming to Han in his current state. Minseok is so much calmer and quieter that it's hard to believe that they get along well enough to live together.

"I'm Jongdae," says the man at his bedside. When he smiles, Han recognizes him from before. "This is Baekhyun. I hope we're not too loud for you."

"I'm all right," Han says. It's probably not very convincing because Baekhyun and Jongdae both laugh.

"Before you came in, Han was telling me what he was doing in the woods when we found him," Minseok cuts in pointedly, which unfortunately is enough to make Baekhyun and Jongdae quiet down.

"I, um..." Han feels more nervous with three people's attention on him. "As I said, I wouldn't do anything to hurt you. I wouldn't hurt anyone. But you see, my brother—well, really my father, he..." He stops, trying to calm his nerves enough to speak clearly. "My father cast me out of our home. I didn't do anything wrong, but my brother convinced him I did, and I couldn't prove my innocence."

"And how did that bring you here?" Baekhyun asks. He doesn't sound particularly skeptical, but it worries Han all the same.

"My father is a powerful man. He wanted me far away from him, so he had his men bring me to these woods. I don't know my way around this area, and with the snow and the fever, I got lost and couldn't get out. I was too tired to walk anymore, and that's when you found me."

Minseok, Baekhyun and Jongdae exchange glances, engaging in the kind of silent communication that happens between people who know each other well. When they're finished, Jongdae says, "I'm sorry that happened to you, but you're in a safe place now, and I'm sure you'll be all right in time. As you can see, we don't have much here, but if you like, you can stay with us while you recover your health enough to find somewhere better."

"Thank you," Han says meekly. "I'm sorry to impose." It's a very strange feeling for a prince to be saying these words, but he's a prince with no power left, and he's only alive because of the kindness of these strangers. He doubts he even has the strength to stand right now, so he wouldn't last two minutes out in the woods. He's very grateful for the sorely needed help.

"Of course!" Jongdae answers, his smile growing wider. "We're happy to have you here."

 

***

 

Jongdae and Baekhyun are excited to have company, even though Han is too tired to do more than sit up in bed and listen to them talk, but Minseok is wary. He's wary of Han, despite his reasonable explanation of how he came to be in the woods and his promises that he's harmless. He's also wary of having someone with them regardless of who it is. He's worried about their secrets coming out, and about how much lonelier their life will feel once they're back to three people in the house. He's worried about what will happen if Han stays too long, because since he learned about the curse, Minseok no longer trusts himself not to hurt anyone. Baekhyun and Jongdae have chosen to stay with him, but Han doesn't realize what he's stumbled into the middle of. It would be best for him to never find out.

For now, though, there's nothing to be done for it. It would be cruel to turn Han out in his current state, and Kyungsoo warned them that his recovery might be long. The important thing is that they keep quiet about the curse, and make sure that Han is gone before they can't hide it any longer, and before Minseok ever has genuine reason to worry. If they can do that, it will be all right to have Han here for a short time.

All things considered, Minseok doesn't want to get attached to Han, but Baekhyun and Jongdae have no such qualms. Jongdae sits at the foot of the bed and Baekhyun stands next to it as they chatter animatedly at Han. He doesn't say much, but he listens, looking back and forth between them and laughing at appropriate times. Naturally, that only makes Baekhyun and Jongdae talk more, so enthusiastic that Minseok can't help smiling. His best friends' chattering used to annoy him, but it's rarer to see them like this now, and he finds he's missed it.

Baekhyun could probably keep going for hours, but Jongdae is a little more tactful, and he notices after a while that Han is fading fast. "Is dinner almost ready, Minseok?"

Minseok checks the pot hanging over the fire, cooking a squirrel stew (though it's really vegetable stew with a hint of squirrel; they only caught a small one). "We can eat now if you're hungry."

"Let's eat, then," Jongdae says, as if it's for his benefit rather than Han's.

They have a table just big enough for three, but Minseok brings Han a bowl of stew in bed. "Thank you," he says. "You're very kind to take care of me."

After dinner, Han is visibly drooping, but he fights to keep his eyes open until Jongdae tells him, "You can sleep if you're tired. We won't be offended."

"All right." Han starts to lie down, but then he looks around the cabin and, as if it's only just occurred to him, asks, "Wait, did I take your bed?"

Baekhyun and Jongdae burst out laughing, and Minseok smiles. "You don't remember?" Baekhyun asks. "We all slept in it. There's only one bed."

Han is pale after his illness, so the pink in his cheeks stands out brightly. "I-I see. I'm sorry."

Baekhyun laughs again, and Jongdae gives Han a comforting pat on the shoulder. "It's all right. We're used to sharing, and there's room enough for four."

"Unless you're embarrassed to share a bed..." Baekhyun teases.

"Of course not!" Han's ears are pink too now, making Minseok suspect that he is embarrassed. For Minseok, there's nothing unusual or untoward about sharing a bed with friends, but perhaps with his more privileged background, Han isn't used to it. Minseok wonders what he thinks of their small cabin and simple food, their rough clothes and unrefined language. It must be very different from what he's accustomed to.

"I'm afraid we have nothing else to offer you even if you do object," Jongdae says dryly. He gives Han another pat and pulls the blanket up to cover him. "Get some rest."

Han is asleep the minute his head touches the pillow, and he doesn't so much as stir when Baekhyun loudly declares, "I like him.

"You like anyone who laughs at your jokes," Minseok says. Baekhyun makes a face at him but doesn't argue with the truth. "But don't get too attached. We can't let him stay for long." 

Minseok feels guilty when Baekhyun's face falls at his words. "I know," he says quietly.

"Let's not think that way," Jongdae says. "Let's just enjoy his company while he's here. There's no use dwelling on the future."

"Agreed. You could even be a little friendlier, Minseok." Baekhyun eyes him pointedly.

_It's different for you,_ Minseok thinks, but he doesn't want to make his friends sad again, so he smiles. "Maybe I will."

 

***

 

For the first few days after his fever breaks, Han feels awkwardly useless. He can barely get out of bed, so he has to rely on the others to prepare food and clean up and keep the fire going. They don't complain and they shrug off all his apologies, but he still feels uncomfortable. As a prince, he's used to people waiting on him, but this is different. They're not taking care of him because he's a prince; they're only doing it because they're kind, good people and he's weak and helpless.

His recovery is frustratingly slow, but by the fourth day, he's just well enough to be tired of sitting in bed. Baekhyun and Jongdae have gone to check the traps they have set in the woods and Minseok is cleaning vegetables for their dinner, so Han asks, "Can I help you with something?"

They've been sitting in silence because Minseok doesn't talk to him the way Baekhyun and Jongdae do and Han doesn't want to bother him, and Minseok jumps at the sudden question. "Oh, um, I suppose. How are you at chopping vegetables?"

Han has never chopped vegetables in his life, but he doesn't want to admit that. "I can do that." He gets up, stubbornly ignoring the wave of dizziness that comes with standing up too quickly, and comes over to the table. "How would you like them cut?"

"Just for stew. I don't know how to cook anything fancy."

"All right," Han says, as if he knows what that means. He takes a potato and the knife Minseok hands him and studies them. How hard can this be? He slices the potato in half somewhat unevenly, but well enough, then considers how best to chop it into smaller pieces. He cuts off a round slice from one half, then chops that into four smaller pieces and sets that aside. He does that twice more before he notices Minseok looking at him, his mouth twisted like he's trying to hold back a smile. "What?"

"I take it you don't have much experience in the kitchen," Minseok says dryly.

"No," Han sheepishly admits. "Is it obvious?"

"Here." Minseok holds out his hand and takes the knife from Han, picking up the uncut half of the potato. He slices it in half in the opposite direction, then in half again, then quickly chops off slices so he's left with reasonable sized pieces. Han is impressed, and Minseok laughs, just a little, at his reaction. That's embarrassing, but it's also kind of nice to have Minseok smile around him; Han was starting to think Minseok didn't like him. "Do you think you can handle that?" Minseok asks.

"I think so. But more slowly." That gets another laugh, and Han smiles, pleased with the response.

The potatoes Han chops are much less even than Minseok's, but he manages to get through them without cutting off any fingers, which he calls a victory. When Baekhyun and Jongdae return, Jongdae asks, "Putting our guest to work, are you?"

"He volunteered," Minseok protests at the same time as Han says, "I asked."

"No fingers in the vegetables, right?" Baekhyun asks. "Although the traps were empty, so we could use some meat."

"No eating the guests," Minseok says mildly. Han laughs loud enough to startle Minseok, but he looks amused after the initial reaction.

Over the next couple of days, as Han's strength slowly begins to return, he does what he can to help out with preparing food and washing dishes and clothes. Minseok is the one who does most of the housework, and after a while, Han asks him why. "Because they don't care if the house is clean," Minseok says, gesturing toward the door Baekhyun and Jongdae left through earlier. After a moment, he adds, "And I don't like the cold. I'd rather stay inside by the fire."

He sounds adorably sheepish, and it makes Han smile. That fear he felt around Minseok at the beginning has faded as he realized that Minseok is as harmless as he looks. What he saw in his dreams must have been just that—meaningless fever dreams. Minseok still isn't as friendly to him as Baekhyun and Jongdae, but he's warmed up to Han since he started offering help, and Han suspects that part of his continuing reticence is just his personality, nothing to do with his feelings about Han specifically.

"I like being outside," Han says. "I hope I'll feel well enough to go out soon. But in—where I'm from, it doesn't get as cold as it is here." He hopes Minseok doesn't notice his correction. It wouldn't be so terrible for Minseok and the others to find out exactly where he's from, but he doesn't want to give them any reason to be suspicious. He gave them his real name when he was in no condition to think about the consequences, and if news leaks out that Prince Han has been exiled, they're bound to wonder.

Minseok doesn't comment, just nods absently, looking at the soup he's mixing. He tastes it and cocks his head thoughtfully. "Can you come taste this for me? I need a second opinion." 

Han comes over and kneels next to Minseok in front of the fire. Minseok holds out the spoon for him, keeping a hand underneath as he gingerly brings it to Han's mouth. Han looks at the spoon at first, but then he looks up and gets drawn into Minseok's eyes. It's not like in his dreams, where Minseok's face frightened him. It's nice. Minseok has a childish face, but his eyes are deep and mature and strangely mesmerizing to Han. He gets so caught up in them for a moment that he forgets what's happening and the spoon bumps into his lip and soup dribbles down his chin.

"Sorry!" Minseok pulls back immediately, breaking the moment.

"No, that was my fault." Han licks his lips and wipes his chin clean, embarrassed. "It's good. The soup."

Minseok laughs. "I'm not sure how you could tell from that, but all right. Thank you for your help."

"Anytime." Han's ears are burning, and he hopes Minseok can't tell. He gets to his feet quickly, hoping to put the awkward moment behind him. Minseok lets it go easily, to Han's relief, but Han finds that he can't so easily forget how beautiful Minseok's eyes looked up close.

 

***

 

Minseok doesn't want to like Han when it will only be a short time before he's gone forever, but against his will, he finds their guest charming, in a bumbling sort of way. He's very earnest about everything from struggling through helping with chores to laughing at Baekhyun and Jongdae's jokes to listening eagerly when Minseok talks to him. However privileged his upbringing may have been, he doesn't complain, aside from the occasional grumbling about his slow recovery, and he gives no indication that he looks down on them. He seems to be a genuinely nice person, and it's too easy to become fond of him.

_Don't forget,_ Minseok chides himself when he catches himself smiling as Han laughs with Baekhyun and Jongdae in front of the fire. _For his own sake if not for yours. Someone as innocent as him doesn't deserve to get dragged into your problems._ Baekhyun and Jongdae as collateral damage is bad enough. He doesn't want to see Han hurt, and he doesn't want to see the way Han would look at them if he learned about the curse. It will be best for all of them if he leaves none the wiser.

It's been six days since Kyungsoo treated Han when Minseok wakes to a piercing shriek that has him jumping out of bed before his eyes are even fully open. His heart starts racing as he imagines the worst, but he can't immediately see what's wrong. Han has scrambled down to the foot of the bed, his eyes wide and scared, but Baekhyun and Jongdae seem as lost as Minseok. "What's going on?" Baekhyun mumbles, barely awake.

"Your head!" Han squeaks.

"Who, me?" Baekhyun still hasn't opened his eyes, but now Minseok can see what Han is upset about. Baekhyun's human ears are gone as if they were never there, and instead, he has two furry gray wolf ears on top of his head.

Jongdae notices too, and reaches out and touches one of the ears. "Baekhyun, your ears..." He's turned away so Minseok can't see his face, but he can hear the tremor in Jongdae's voice.

Now Baekhyun finally opens his eyes, and Minseok can see the fear in them as he tentatively lifts his hand and pats the top of his head. The fear turns into horror as he feels the ears, then touches the side of his head and realizes that there's nothing but flat skin and hair there. "It was so slow until now. I didn't think..." He trails off, uncharacteristically at a loss for words. 

Only then do they remember Han, who's still cowering at the foot of the bed, understandably shocked. "W-who...?" he stammers, his voice high and thin. "What are you?"

Jongdae sighs, and hurt registers on Baekhyun's face. "I'm human," he says quietly. "Mostly. But less so as time goes by." He reaches up to touch his ears again, as though he still can't believe they're real.

"I don't understand. Is this some kind of magic?" Han looks and sounds a little less scared now, but he's still curled in on himself.

Baekhyun looks at Jongdae first, then catches Minseok's eyes just long enough for him to nod. They have no choice but to tell Han the truth now, or at least a portion of it. "It's a curse," Baekhyun explains. "On me and Jongdae. Piece by piece, we're turning into animals. We're not sure, but we believe it's a wolf for me and a fox for Jongdae."

Han's gaze flicks over to Jongdae, startled, when Baekhyun first says his name, then back to Baekhyun. He looks over at Minseok when Baekhyun finishes speaking, but Minseok looks away, afraid of what Han might read in his eyes. "How...why were you cursed?"

"Bad luck." Baekhyun brings his hand up yet again, trying and failing to cover the ears.

Han looks skeptical, so Minseok speaks up. He feels guilty that Baekhyun and Jongdae are facing this curse with him, and guiltier still that they're bearing the brunt of Han's dismay, but this is all he can do. "You told us that your father sent you away even though you did nothing wrong. This curse wasn't because of anything they did wrong either. It's only because an angry man wanted someone to suffer." The guilt deepens at his lie of omission, speaking as if only Baekhyun and Jongdae are cursed, but there's nothing to be done for that now. They shouldn't tell Han any more than he needs to know.

It's a relief, at least, to see Han's expression shift, turning sympathetic. "I'm sorry. Is that why you live away from the village, because of the curse?"

"Yes," Jongdae answers. "We don't want our friends and families to see us like this and pity or fear us."

"That must be difficult." Han turns to Baekhyun. "I'm sorry that I reacted like that."

"It's all right." Baekhyun drops his hand from his head and smiles, although Minseok can see that it's forced. "No harm done. But please try not to shriek like a girl again. My hearing is better with these ears and that hurt."

"I—I didn't—it wasn't—" Han turns remarkably red, and Baekhyun and Jongdae burst out laughing. Minseok can't quite laugh along with them right now, but he smiles, relieved. This is a big change, the first sign of the curse that they can't hide, and it's not something that can be shrugged off so easily, but if they can still laugh, they'll get through this. For now, at least, they're still them, wolf ears and all.


	2. Chapter 2

Once the initial shock of seeing Baekhyun with wolf ears on his head passes, Han quickly begins to get used to them. He's never met anyone under a curse before and it's hard to wrap his head around it, but stranger things have happened to him in recent weeks. He's still trying to understand and accept that his eldest brother framed him for the attempted murder of their father and then tried to kill him, and that he can never go home again. That's much harder to accept than the fact that Baekhyun and Jongdae, who have never been anything but kind to him, have been cursed through no fault of their own.

He does have a lot of questions he doesn't feel comfortable asking yet—why Baekhyun and Jongdae were cursed, why this particular curse, why Minseok lives out here with them when he's not affected, how quickly it's progressing—but for now, he can be patient and wait to learn more. Baekhyun and Jongdae like to talk, so now that they don't need to keep the curse from him, he's hopeful that they'll tell him more.

In the meantime, he has a lot of other things on his mind. His strength is returning painfully slowly, but sooner or later, he'll be healthy enough to travel and he'll have no reason to stay here, imposing on the kindness of strangers. He's frustrated by his physical weakness, but a part of him is glad of it, because it gives him an excuse to stay longer. He's not ready to face the cold, uncaring world alone again, especially after what happened the first time he tried.

"You're very quiet," Baekhyun tells him later that day when he gets lost in his thoughts about the future. Jongdae went into town to run some errands and Minseok is cleaning, but Baekhyun is sitting idly in front of the fire, either whittling something or just making a mess on the floor with a stick and a knife. Han can't judge him when he's also not doing anything useful, but he did try to offer his help to Minseok first.

"Just thinking." Han tries to smile as if his thoughts are nothing serious.

Baekhyun smiles back, but he responds with deceptive casualness, "You look sad."

"I..." Han looks down, feeling too exposed. "I miss my family." It's the truth, though there's a lot more to it than that.

"That must be difficult," Baekhyun says. It's strange to see him serious when he's always talking and laughing, but of course there's more to him than that. "My father left the village last year—my mother died years ago, and my older brother left as soon as he came of age—and it was hard getting used to being on my own. Then again, I'm glad none of them are here to see me like this." Before Han can respond, Baekhyun quickly continues, "But I suppose that's different. You'll be all right, though. We're always stronger than we think we are."

"Look at you, getting philosophical." Han didn't realize Minseok was listening to them, but the wry interjection makes him smile.

"I happen to be full of deep thoughts!" Baekhyun counters. "I don't hear you contributing anything wise."

Han looks over at Minseok to see him looking sheepish. "I'm sorry to interrupt." The apology seems to be directed at Han rather than Baekhyun. "I didn't mean to make light of your situation."

"It's all right." Han's always been a cheerful person. He doesn't want to sit around feeling sorry for himself, however much reason he may have to do so. "What about your family? Are they still in the village?"

"Yes," Minseok answers. "Jongdae's too." He looks sad as he answers, and Han wonders why. There's still a great deal he doesn't know about his hosts.

He doesn't want to make Minseok sad, so instead he asks, "You've lived here your whole life?" 

"Yes, all three of us have," Baekhyun says. "In the village, that is, until we moved out here around a month ago. It's a tiny village, but there are more people in it than there are here."

"You didn't get bored, living in such a small place?" Han hasn't seen the village, but he can't imagine it's anything like the bustling city he grew up in. Admittedly, as a prince, he wasn't able to freely wander the city, but it was always there, and there were always visitors and entertainers coming into the castle.

Baekhyun shrugs. "It's all we know, and we manage to keep ourselves busy."

"Baekhyun used to insist he was going to leave the village and go on wild adventures," Minseok puts in. "He claimed he was going to marry a princess when we were young, before it turned out that our kingdom wasn't going to have any princesses in this generation."

Han laughs. He doesn't have a sister, but if he did, he's not so sure he'd want her to marry Baekhyun.

"I was just a kid," Baekhyun grumbles. "But I would like to travel someday." A hint of sadness creeps into the corners of his smile, and this time, Han can guess why; in his current state, he would have a hard time traveling anywhere without drawing unpleasant attention. Before Han can think of a way to cheer him up, Baekhyun laughs it off. "Well, you never know what will happen. I may just meet a princess someday and show everyone."

"You just might," Minseok agrees, smiling, and Han pretends not to see the sadness lingering in both his expression and Baekhyun's.

 

***

 

Jongdae arrives home in the afternoon with a full bag over his shoulder and his scarf snugly wrapped up to his chin. "Is it that cold outside?" Baekhyun asks when he sees. Jongdae doesn't share Minseok's sensitivity to cold.

"It's not." The tone of Jongdae's voice makes Minseok turn his full attention to him. He doesn't sound upset, exactly, but it's a sign he is when he gets quiet like that. Jongdae puts down the bag and unwinds the scarf to reveal a large patch of fur along the side of his neck, orange blending into white in the front.

"Oh." Baekhyun gets up and walks over, stroking the fur. "When did it happen?"

"Just as I was leaving, thankfully. I felt an itch and when I went to scratch it, there it was. I can't see it, but I could feel enough to know I needed to hide it." Jongdae sighs, then quickly does his best to smile. "I suppose I won't be going into town again anytime soon." He tosses his scarf aside and picks up the bag. "Here, Minseok, I brought the vegetables you asked for."

Minseok smiles at Jongdae in a way he hopes is comforting. "Thank you." He deliberately doesn't look at the fur, not wanting to make Jongdae feel uncomfortable, but he can't help wondering what will be next. Jongdae and Baekhyun are still mostly human, but after today, they can no longer hide the effects of the curse. How much longer will it be before they lose their human hands or feet or mouths and can no longer function as humans? How long before they're more animal than human?

"Did you already go check the traps?" Jongdae asks Baekhyun.

"Oh, no, I didn't," Baekhyun says, prompting an exasperated sigh from Jongdae.

"Let's go, then, while I'm still dressed for it." Minseok can't see Baekhyun's reaction, but whatever it is, Jongdae responds, "What? Life goes on. Get your coat."

It's quiet once Baekhyun and Jongdae leave, Minseok getting to work on dinner and Han sitting alone by the fire. Minseok is content to take the quiet time to process what's happening, and the silence continues for some ten minutes before Han gets up and comes over to Minseok. "How long ago did it happen?" he asks. "The curse."

"The curse was placed years ago, but we found out about it about three months ago, and the first signs of it appeared two months ago." There doesn't seem to be any harm in telling Han this, but Minseok speaks carefully, afraid of inadvertently revealing too much. "We don't know what to expect as far as how it'll happen, or how fast. It was just a few little patches of fur here and there until now."

"That must be frightening, not knowing when you'll suddenly change, or how."

"Yes." It's frightening for Minseok too, wondering what this means for him. Has something changed inside of him too, waiting for him to notice it the way Jongdae felt the fur on his neck? He doesn't feel different in any significant way, but he doesn't know what it's supposed to feel like for him.

Han looks at him curiously when he doesn't say anything more than that, and Minseok turns his attention back to the food to have an excuse to look away. He's still worried that Han will ask a question he doesn't want to answer, but in the end, he only says, "Here, let me help." He accepts a knife from Minseok and starts chopping carrots with reasonable dexterity.

"You're learning," Minseok says.

Han beams at him. "I guess I am."

They work in companionable silence for a while, then make light conversation after Han asks about the village. Minseok is grateful for the easy conversation topic and the chance to not think about the curse, though a part of him feels guilty for that; it's not so easy for Baekhyun and Jongdae as they are now to forget about the curse.

Once the vegetables have gone into the pot, Minseok tasks Han to keep an eye on them while he goes to bring in some firewood. The cold bite of the wind startles him when he steps outside, but once he's braced himself against that, he notices that there are voices nearby. Baekhyun and Jongdae are standing a short distance away, looking in the direction of the meager sunset. It's nothing so exciting to look at, but once Minseok registers what they're talking about, he understands why they're outside in the cold.

"I didn't let myself think about where it was going until now," Baekhyun is saying, "but I can't ignore it anymore. It finally feels real."

Jongdae gingerly touches the place where Baekhyun's human ears should be, and Baekhyun flinches away. "It does and it doesn't. It's still hard to believe that we'll change completely. If we don't find a way out of this, that is."

Trust Jongdae to still be hopeful, in spite of everything. Baekhyun doesn't respond to that. Instead, after a moment, he asks, "Do you ever...do you ever feel jealous of Minseok?"

Minseok starts at the sound of his name, a reminder that this conversation isn't for him to hear. He should go inside and let Baekhyun and Jongdae have their privacy for once, but he can't leave now, without hearing what comes next. He moves into the shadow near the woodpile, where they're less likely to notice him, and ignores his guilty conscience.

Jongdae takes so long to answer that Minseok isn't sure he will, but at last, he says, "I almost do, sometimes. It would be easy to resent Minseok when it seems as if nothing is happening to him. But when I think about it...I hate what's happening to us. I hate that we're changing and there seems to be nothing we can do about it. But whatever happens, we'll still be ourselves inside. For Minseok, he's going to lose what makes him him. Even if we can't see it, it must be happening already. Thinking about what that would feel like, to feel myself slipping away and not be able to stop it... I wouldn't want to be in his position."

Baekhyun sighs loud enough for Minseok to hear it at this distance. "You're right. It seems easier because we can't see what's happening, but I wouldn't want that either." Another sigh. "I worry about him. About what will happen when the curse gets farther along. I understand what it means for us to change—where we'll end up—but I don't know what to expect from Minseok."

"I worry too," Jongdae says. "But we have to remember that whatever happens, he's still our friend. This curse and whatever comes of it isn't his fault any more than it is ours."

Minseok is glad of Jongdae's words, but he feels guilty and scared too. Jongdae's right that the fear of losing himself, of turning into someone he doesn't recognize, is hard to bear. Baekhyun is right too, that they don't know what will happen to him. He doesn't want to hurt his friends, his best friends who are suffering because of their connection to him. He doesn't want to hurt anyone, but he's afraid of becoming someone who no longer cares.

He can't take listening to this conversation anymore, both because it feels wrong to eavesdrop and because he doesn't want to face what it's making him think about. As quietly as he can, he opens the door again and slips back inside.

Han looks confused at the sight of Minseok, empty-handed. "You didn't get the firewood?"

Minseok can't think of an excuse, his mind too full of other thoughts. "I'll let Baekhyun or Jongdae get it when they come back."

Han's confused expression deepens, then turns into a frown. "Are you all right?"

Minseok goes to join Han in front of the fire, hoping that the warmth and brightness will banish the dark thoughts from his mind. "Of course. I'm fine."

Han doesn't push, but he does lift his hand and tentatively pat Minseok on the shoulder, offering some comfort despite Minseok's words. His hand is warm and Minseok tries to let himself be comforted, but even with that and the cheerful crackling of the fire, there's no comfort for him right now.

 

***

 

The days creep by and Han continues to feel stronger. He's nowhere near his full strength yet, but he rarely gets dizzy if he stands up too quickly, and he can get through the day with one nap instead of two. There's a lingering ache all through his body, but it's nothing like it was when he first woke up. He's already lost count, but he thinks it's around ten days since his fever broke when he wakes up and actually feels energetic. He's not about to jump out of bed, but it's the first day that he doesn't feel like he wants to roll over and go back to sleep.

Jongdae goes to bring in some firewood, and when he comes back, he says, "It's nice out today. I think I'll go for a walk after breakfast."

Han considers asking to go with him, but he doesn't think he has enough energy to keep up with Jongdae just yet. Instead, Jongdae and Baekhyun go together, leaving Han and Minseok alone. Minseok waves off Han's help with cleaning up, so he settles by the fire. He's glad when Minseok joins him soon after; he's too easily bored on his own, and he's come to like Minseok's company very much. Jongdae and Baekhyun too, of course, but there's something special about the time he spends alone with Minseok while the others are out.

"It's quiet without Jongdae and Baekhyun," Han comments, with a smile to show he doesn't mean anything bad by it.

"It is," Minseok wryly agrees.

"I'm surprised, I have to admit, that you're friends with them. You seem different." Minseok is more open to talking to Han than he was at the beginning, but he's still much quieter than Baekhyun and Jongdae, and he seems more serious most of the time.

Now Minseok smiles. "I am, I suppose, but when you live in a small village, you can't be choosy about your friends. And we do have fun together, and take care of each other. They're good friends." There's something wistful, maybe even sad in Minseok's smile. Is he thinking about their current situation, Han wonders. About the curse that Baekhyun and Jongdae are struggling with?

"You're a good friend too, coming here with them." Minseok looks into the fire, his expression unreadable. The fire reflects in his eyes, and it makes him look unnatural, in a way that's beautiful but makes Han uncomfortable at the same time. What is it about Minseok that makes him feel such strange things?

"I wish I could help," Minseok says after a while, his eyes still on the fire. "I wish I could do something to stop the curse from hurting them."

"Isn't there usually a way to break curses?" Han's only experience with curses is from stories, but he assumes they weren't completely wrong.

"Always, but there's no way to know what will break the curse without the person who placed it telling us, and we can't find him. We asked the sorcerer who healed you, and others before him, but no one could offer any suggestions except to wait and see and hope we figure it out."

Of course it makes sense that if it were that easy, they wouldn't be living here and making no effort to change their situation, but Han feels disappointed all the same. "But that means there's still hope, doesn't it? Even if you don't know how to break the curse, it can be broken."

"Yes." Minseok turns back to Han. He's smiling again, but it still looks sad. "I know Baekhyun and Jongdae haven't given up hope. There's still a chance we'll find the way to break this curse."

Han smiles as cheerfully as he can, hoping some of that will rub off onto Minseok. "Good. You have to have hope no matter what happens." That's good advice for him too, but it's easier to give to someone else than to take. What does he have to hope for? Perhaps there's a way his exile can be undone, if the king finds out the truth of what happened, but it won't change what his brother did. Nothing will ever take that away, and that's a hard thing to live with.

Despite those thoughts, Han feels happy when Minseok's smile widens, the sadness fading from it. "You're right," Minseok says. "There's always hope."

 

Jongdae and Baekhyun return from their walk still bursting with energy, laughing as they walk in the door. "I see you had fun," Minseok comments.

"You should go out," Baekhyun counters. "Have some fun for a change."

"It's not good for you to be cooped up inside all the time," Jongdae adds.

Minseok looks unimpressed, but Han says, "A walk does sound nice." He's been inside this small cabin for too long, without feeling the sun or walking more than a few steps at a time.

"Are you up for it?" Baekhyun asks.

"I think so. A short one." Han isn't sure how his body will hold up, but he won't know until he tries.

"Keep him company, Minseok," Jongdae suggests. "You can handle a short walk."

Minseok heaves a put upon sigh that makes Han feel bad for bothering him, but he gets to his feet. "Let's go."

Han puts on his coat and his boots, untouched since he came to the cabin. It brings back memories of walking through the dark woods, alone and scared, and he shivers. "Are you going to be warm enough?" Jongdae asks. "We wouldn't want you to catch a chill just when you're feeling better."

"I'm all right," Han insists, but he accepts the hat and scarf Jongdae offers him.

Minseok is also winding a scarf around his neck, and Baekhyun laughs at him. "It's not that cold today, if you're not recovering from nearly dying." Minseok rolls his eyes and keeps the scarf, but he doesn't grab anything else.

Once they're dressed, they head outside. The cold is a shock to Han's system after being in the warm cabin for so long, but it's not as bad as he remembers. There's no snow on the ground, and the sun is shining brightly, banishing his unpleasant memories. The trees in front of them are still winter bare, but like this, they no longer look frightening.

"Tell me when you want to turn back," Minseok says. "I don't want to tire you out." 

"I'll be fine," Han insists. "I'm feeling much better than before." He wonders for a moment if it was a mistake to say that. Minseok and the others have been very kind to him until now, but will they turn him out as soon as it's clear he's well enough? Minseok doesn't comment on that, only nods and starts to walk. "Do other people live near the woods, or only in the village?" Han asks. It's quiet out here, aside from the occasional chirping of birds.

"Kyungsoo—the sorcerer who treated your fever—lives inside the woods. I don't know of anyone else who lives nearby, but it's a large forest. I haven't seen all of it."

"You don't get lost in here?" To Han, the trees all look the same, even without snow and fog.

"Not everyone from the village likes coming to the woods, but Baekhyun and Jongdae and I used to play out here when we were young, and come to hunt or gather food when we got older," Minseok tells him. "We know how to find our way home."

"That's good, now that you live nearby." Han tries to imagine Minseok and his friends as children, playing in the woods. It's hard for him to imagine running free like that, given his own sheltered upbringing. "Did you like growing up here?"

Minseok shrugs. "I can't compare it to anything else, but I was happy enough. Did you like where you grew up?"

"I don't have much to compare it to either." Han thinks back on his childhood. He was, as Minseok said, happy enough, but some of his happiest memories are of time spent with his brothers, and those memories are tainted now.

His expression must give his thoughts away because Minseok says, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring back unpleasant memories."

Han shakes his head. "It's not that my childhood was unpleasant. But my brother..."

"You said he accused you of doing something to your father?"

"Yes, and it must have been him who gave me that magical fever too. I thought he loved me, even though he was too busy to spend much time with me once we were older. Now I know I was wrong."

"That must be difficult," Minseok says.

"It is, but let's not talk about that." It's too nice a day to be dwelling on painful memories.

Minseok smiles. Seeing that smile in the bright sunlight, it's even harder for Han to believe that he thought there was anything dark in Minseok because of his fevered dreams. "All right." He shivers, and his smile morphs into a pout that makes Han laugh. "I should have ignored Baekhyun and brought my gloves. My hands are freezing."

"You really don't like the cold, do you?." Han is warm in his coat, but Minseok's is made of lower quality material and worn thin. "Here, let me warm you up." He holds out his hand.

Minseok looks perplexed, offering his hand as thought he's not sure what Han plans to do with it. Han takes Minseok's hand in his, and he's surprised, though he's looked at Minseok's hands before, to realize how small it is. Minseok's fingers feel cold against his, so Han stops walking and puts both his hands around Minseok's. "You almost died and you're still warmer than me," Minseok grumbles, but he's smiling.

Han smiles back. "I'm sorry." He rubs his hands against Minseok's and then, on impulse, lifts them to his mouth to blow warm air on Minseok's fingers. His lips just barely brush Minseok's knuckles, and suddenly Han realizes how familiar he's being. He meets Minseok's eyes, and they draw him in the way they did that day by the fire, but without any distraction. They really are beautiful eyes.

There's something hesitant in Minseok's expression, unsure, but he looks steadily back for a few long seconds. Then, abruptly, he pulls both hands out of Han's and shoves them into his pockets, turning away. Han worries that he's offended Minseok, which he can't afford to do when he has nowhere to go but Minseok's home, but then he notices the red in Minseok's cheeks. It could be the cold, but Minseok's body language also tells him that he's embarrassed, not angry.

"Let's start heading back." Minseok takes only one step before he stops and pulls one hand out of his pocket. To Han's very pleasant surprise, he holds it out in Han's direction. "You said you'd warm me up, right?"

Han can't hold back a burst of happy laughter at Minseok's reaction. It's just so _cute_ how gruffly embarrassed he is. He takes Minseok's hand, wrapping it up in his, and like that, they start walking back to the cabin.

 

***

 

Minseok's mind is a jumble of thoughts that night, tripping over each other in their hurry to grab his attention. He didn't think anything of that moment by the fire, only a few days after Han's fever broke, but what happened in the woods, he can't ignore. The way Han looked at him, it's clear he's interested. Minseok shouldn't encourage that, but there he was, holding Han's hand like he's a schoolboy with a crush. He was so wary of Han at first, so determined not to get attached to him. What is he doing flirting with him?

He remembers for a moment Jongdae joking about Han being a prospect for the true love that might break their curse, but that's a silly idea. They're a long way from love, and even assuming they could get to that point, it would be a race against time, with the curse changing Minseok into someone he doubts anyone could love. Han is sweet and earnest, with an innocence about him despite what he's been through recently. He deserves someone good and kind, and Minseok doesn't trust himself to be that any longer.

Besides, nobody else should get caught up in this curse. Once he's well enough to travel, it's best if Han leaves and forgets all about them. He doesn't seem ready to face the wide world after his privileged and no doubt sheltered upbringing, but he'll find his place. He shouldn't stay in here with two people turning into animals and one turning into a monster from the inside out. They don't know how long it will take the curse to run its course, but sooner or later, they'll have nothing left to offer him.

_Push him away,_ Minseok tells himself. _Even if it hurts him now, it'll only hurt more if you let his feelings develop into more than a little crush._ Maybe that's all this will ever be and Minseok has nothing to worry about, but he can't take that risk.

Han leaves him alone, whether deliberately or because Baekhyun and Jongdae monopolize his attention, and he goes to sleep early that night, worn out by the short walk. "I guess he still has a long way to go on his recovery," Jongdae says after Han falls asleep. "He seems more energetic, but he wouldn't get far on his own."

"It's all right if he stays a while, isn't it?" Baekhyun asks hopefully. "He already found out about the curse, so there's no harm in him seeing us."

"He already found out about _you,_ " Minseok corrects. Belatedly, he glances over at Han, but he's sleeping soundly, oblivious to their conversation.

"He won't find out about you unless you tell him, right?" Baekhyun says. "There's nothing to see."

Minseok frowns. It's true that there are no outward signs of what's happening to him, but surely the changes will become obvious in time, even to someone who doesn't know him very well. Right now, it's all vague and hard to put his finger on—his patience seems shorter, and he's more pessimistic—and he can mostly control himself and avoid showing anything, but he doesn't expect that to last forever. "It's just better for him if he leaves. What's he going to do when you're fully changed and I'm...whatever I'm going to be when this is over?"

Jongdae hides it better, but the hurt is plain on Baekhyun's face at the thought of where this is going, and Minseok hates it. It's just not right when Baekhyun isn't smiling. "Don't give up yet," Jongdae says. "You don't know that it will end like that. In any case, there's still time. Han can leave when he's ready."

 

It's colder the next day, a light dusting of snow falling overnight. Han doesn't suggest a walk today, content to sit by the fire. Jongdae and Baekhyun do go out to check the traps in the afternoon, leaving Minseok alone with Han. It's hardly the first time they've been alone together, but it makes Minseok nervous now. He knows what he needs to do, but he doesn't trust himself to do it.

Minseok busies himself preparing dinner, but he's not surprised when Han comes over to him. He stands across from Minseok at the table but doesn't immediately offer his help like he normally does. Minseok keeps his eyes on the carrot he's cutting until he can't take the silence anymore and he looks up. When he does, Han grins as if he's won. His eyes seem to sparkle when he smiles, and Minseok can't help smiling back.

Slowly, Han leans forward, and Minseok's breath catches in his throat. _Push him away,_ he thinks, but he doesn't move and he doesn't say a word. In the months since he found out about the curse, his life has turned upside down, and the whole world has felt like a darker place. Is it so wrong to want to snatch this bit of happiness while he can? He does want to kiss Han, despite his better judgment.

Han's lips find his while Minseok is still struggling to convince himself to do the right thing. It's only a soft, brief kiss before he pulls back to see what Minseok has to say about it. Minseok should tell him to stop, but instead, he says, "You shouldn't kiss someone holding a knife."

That makes Han smile. "Why, are you going to cut me?"

_I might,_ Minseok thinks, but that's being needlessly dramatic. He's not going to do something like that, at least not yet. "I could cut myself."

"Here." Han walks around the table and takes the knife out of Minseok's hand, setting it on the table. "Problem solved." 

Han is standing right next to him now, and Minseok hesitantly turns to face him. _Push him away,_ his responsible side tries one more time, but Han is already leaning in, and he gives up for now.

The kiss starts off tentative as they feel each other out. At first, Minseok is content to let Han cup his face in his hands and gently tease his lips apart, but then a hunger wakes in him and he wants _more._ He presses his tongue into Han's mouth and tastes him eagerly, fisting his hands in Han's hair. Han seems happy to let him take over, responding without hesitation, and they kiss deeply. 

Minseok doesn't know how long he loses himself in that kiss, but then, suddenly, a thought intrudes, _This isn't like you._ For one more moment, he's still able to enjoy kissing Han, but then a second thought follows, _Is it the curse?_

Stricken, Minseok pulls away abruptly, taking a step back. A probably involuntary whine of protest escapes Han, and he looks at Minseok in confusion. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Minseok feels guilty for being gruff when Han hasn't done anything wrong. He's not even sure that anything is wrong, but he can't shake the fear that for the first time, something noticeable has changed inside of him. He forces himself to calm down, at least on the surface, before he explains, "I need to finish here."

"Oh." Han doesn't look convinced by the weak excuse. "But you...that is, would it be all right if I kissed you another time?"

Minseok should tell him no, but he's already starting to convince himself that he overreacted, that it wasn't the curse, only that he hasn't kissed anyone in a while. Even if it was the curse, what's the harm? All he did was kiss a little more forcefully than he normally would, and Han clearly didn't mind. He does have reason to worry, in the long run, but not about one silly little kiss.

"I'll think about it," he says, but with a smile that's answer enough. He hates himself a little for it, but it's too easy to give in.

 

***

 

Han is proud of himself that he doesn't scream this time when he wakes up to see that where Jongdae used to have human hair on top of his head, he now has orange-brown fox fur. It goes all the way around and halfway down his forehead, like a strange helmet with his human ears sticking out of it. It's not as disconcerting as Baekhyun's ears, but still a big change from how he looked before.

Jongdae woke up before him, but probably not long before, considering that he's still frowning and touching his head, checking the boundaries of the fur. He looks like he's upset but trying to hold it in, and the sight makes Han sad. Jongdae is such a good person, from what Han has seen. He doesn't deserve to be sad like this. He wants to say something to cheer Jongdae up, but what can he say to make this hurt less?

Minseok is already out of bed, but he comes over when he sees that they're awake. "Jongdae?" he asks gently.

With a sigh, Jongdae sits up. "How does it look?"

"I think it suits you." Minseok reaches out and ruffles Jongdae's hair—fur.

Jongdae laughs. "You're not a very good liar."

It takes Jongdae's laugh to wake Baekhyun up, and he mumbles a sleepy, "What's going on?"

"Open your eyes and see." Jongdae doesn't sound upset now, but Han doesn't know him well enough to judge if he's feeling better or he's only pretending.

Baekhyun reluctantly does as he's told, and his eyes go wide, then turn sad. That only lasts a moment, because his expression briefly goes blank before he smiles. "It's not a bad look for you."

"You're a better liar than Minseok," Jongdae says.

"Who says I'm lying?" Baekhyun asks, fluttering his eyes in an exaggerated picture of innocence that makes Han laugh. Jongdae laughs too, the sadness gone from his eyes, to Han's relief.

 

Jongdae doesn't let this change stop him from going about his day as usual, so Han doesn't either. They eat and talk and laugh and take care of the daily tasks, and after lunch, Han asks Minseok, "Do you want to go for a walk?"

Minseok looks startled, then nervous, then skeptical, but after some hesitation, he still says, "All right. A short one."

"A short one is enough for me." Han would like to do more, but he can't yet.

They bundle up, and Han notices with a certain disappointment that Minseok puts on gloves. That's all right, though. Minseok's hard to figure out, but after yesterday's kiss, Han feels some confidence that he's interested. It's complicated, of course, because Han can't continue imposing on Minseok and his friends once he's recovered, but for now, he's enjoying this flirting with Minseok and trying not to think about the future or the past. It's better that way.

They walk in silence for the first minute or two. Minseok doesn't try to start a conversation, and Han can't think of the right thing to say. He's curious about the curse, but he doesn't want to make Minseok sad by bringing it up. He'd like to ask if he can kiss Minseok again, but they can't very well do that while walking. He _can_ hold Minseok's hand, if Minseok will let him. That's not a conversation topic either, but Han has always been better with action than with words.

Minseok's walking close to him, and they're moving slowly, so it's easy to reach out and hook his fingers around Minseok's wrist. His hand is in his pocket, and when he makes no move to pull it out, Han slides his hand down to join Minseok's in his pocket, slotting his fingers between Minseok's. Minseok is wearing gloves, so they're not truly touching, but Han appreciates it all the same. He likes that Minseok will let him do this.

"My hand's not cold," Minseok says after a moment. His voice is quiet and hard to read, but he doesn't pull away, so Han thinks it's all right to laugh. To his relief, Minseok smiles when he does.

"Are your lips cold?" Han asks. He's embarrassed as soon as the words are out of his mouth, and Minseok laughs at him.

"Are you always this clever?"

"It's better when I don't talk," Han sheepishly admits.

"That's all right. I'm not much for talking either." Han look over at Minseok, not sure if that's a hint, and he finds Minseok looking back at him. He stops walking, tugging Minseok's hand to hold him still. With his hand still in Minseok's pocket, he steps close, standing in front of him.

There's a little smile playing over Minseok's lips, but something darker in his eyes—not frightening like those shadows in Han's dreams, but sad. Han doesn't like that, so he flashes Minseok a big smile and asks, "Did you think about whether it's all right for me to kiss you again?"

Minseok's smile widens and starts to find its way to his eyes. "I suppose, if you want to."

"I do." Not wanting to give himself time to say something else embarrassing, Han tilts Minseok's chin up with his free hand and kisses him. Minseok doesn't hesitate to kiss him back, but things progress more slowly than the last time. Han doesn't mind, content to slowly explore Minseok's mouth, letting the kiss warm them against the cool air.

It feels a little strange to Han to be smiling and kissing Minseok after everything that's happened to him. It's so simple and carefree, as though his life is still carefree when it's not at all. He wonders if it feels strange for Minseok too, to be enjoying himself while his friends are turning into monsters. Is that why he looked sad before, because he can enjoy this while his friends have to hide away? Han doesn't dwell on that, just drowns himself in the feeling of Minseok's lips sliding against his.

Minseok is the first one to break the kiss again, but he pulls away slowly, not like the last time. There's a hazy smile on his pink lips, and Han likes the thought that he put it there. "So, what do you say this time?" he asks. "Do you need to think about whether I can kiss you again?"

Minseok laughs, just a little, though there's still a hint of that sadness in his eyes. "We'll see," he says, but he follows it up with one more quick peck that tells Han he's already made up his mind.

 

They return to the cabin to an unexpected scene: Baekhyun standing with his pants around his knees, straining to look over his shoulder. Han stops in the doorway, confused, and Minseok pushes past him. "What are you doing?" he asks.

"Look!" Jongdae says by way of answer, gesturing at Baekhyun. It takes Han a moment to realize what he's supposed to see: emerging from the vicinity of Baekhyun's tailbone is a tail, gray and fluffy.

"Oh." Minseok's voice is so quiet Han doubts the others can hear. He sounds upset, and Han wants to comfort him, but he doesn't know how. His curiosity about Baekhyun's new tail wins out and he crosses the room to see it up close.

"Baekhyun, put your pants on," Jongdae says, looking over at Han.

"How am I supposed to wear pants when I have a tail?" Baekhyun asks, a tinge of hysteria in his voice. To demonstrate his point, he pulls his pants up until they get stuck at the base of his tail.

"Can you pull them over it?" Han suggests. He shouldn't be staring, considering the location of the tail, but he can't resist. It's fascinating seeing what appears to be a genuine wolf tail attached to a human body. Somewhat disconcerting, because it's so clearly unnatural, but fascinating all the same.

Baekhyun tries that, fumbling as he attempts to tuck his tail in with one hand while pulling his pants up with the other. Jongdae has to help him before he finally succeeds in getting his tail inside and his pants all the way up. Once he's done, he turns around to face the rest of them and wriggles around, almost as if he's trying to wag his tail. "It's uncomfortable like that," he grumbles.

"We can make a hole for it," Minseok suggests, "if you don't mind it showing."

Baekhyun shrugs. "It's not as if my ears aren't already obvious. Why not a tail too?" He doesn't sound hysterical anymore, but he doesn't sound like his usual happy self either.

"All right. I'll do it in a minute." Now that there's nothing more to see, Han turns his attention to Minseok again. He looks and sounds brusque and businesslike, which makes Han think that he's still upset even if it doesn't show. Does he feel guilty that he was out kissing Han while Baekhyun and Jongdae were dealing with this new change, or is he only sad in general the curse is progressing for both of his friends? Han hopes, selfishly, that it's only the second.

It takes some fumbling and a lot of complaining on Baekhyun's part, but in the end, they succeed in adjusting his pants so that his tail can poke through, sticking out behind him. It looks unreal, or like a silly accessory attached to his pants, but Han has seen for himself that it isn't. If he can ignore the strangeness, it looks cute, shifting behind Baekhyun as he walks around. Jongdae seems to agree, reaching out to pet the tail whenever Baekhyun comes near him. Han is tempted to do the same, but he doesn't quite feel comfortable trying.

Minseok, for his part, sits at the table once he's finished with Baekhyun, conspicuously silent. Han doesn't want to bother him, but he doesn't like the sight, so eventually, he goes over to sit with Minseok. "Are you all right?" he asks.

Minseok looks surprised, though Han can't say if it's because of the question itself or because he's the one asking. "Nothing happened to _me._."

"I know, but you seemed sad."

Minseok frowns ever so slightly. "I'm fine." Han doesn't believe that he's really fine, but before he can say so, Minseok adds, "Go keep Baekhyun company. He could use it."

Baekhyun looks happy enough talking to Jongdae, but it's true that he has more reason to be upset right now. Jongdae too, though he seems to be taking his own change well enough. He casts one more doubtful look at Minseok, who says, "Go. Don't worry about me."

Han goes to join Baekhyun and Jongdae, who do indeed seem happy to pull him into their conversation, but he can't keep the sadness on Minseok's face out of his mind, or stop wishing that there was something he could do to stop it.

 

***

 

It would be so easy to let Han be a pleasant distraction. Minseok could use a distraction now, as the increasingly obvious signs of the curse on Baekhyun and Jongdae make him sad for his friends and worried for himself. Han has his own problems, but he's cheerful, and he makes Minseok laugh, unintentionally as often as on purpose. It's good to laugh, and forget everything else for a moment.

Minseok keeps fighting with himself, torn between letting things continue and doing what he still thinks is the right thing: pushing Han away. It must be confusing to Han to have Minseok run hot and cold, but he doesn't give up on his clumsy flirting or his much less clumsy kissing Minseok whenever he gets a chance, and Minseok lets him. It doesn't happen often because there's no privacy in the cabin, but whenever the weather is nice enough for them to go for a walk, or at home when Baekhyun and Jongdae are both out.

Most of the time, it's nice. The kissing is nice, and spending time with Han is nice, and talking to someone who doesn't know and rightly fear what's going on inside of Minseok is nice. Sometimes, though, that same hunger Minseok felt the first time wakes up and it frightens him with its intensity. It's not just hunger but possessiveness, a desire to make Han his. He's never felt like this with anyone before, and he doesn't think it's because Han is different, but because he is. He hasn't done anything as a result except kiss Han that much harder, but it scares him all the same.

"So you and Han?" Baekhyun asks a week after their first uncertain kiss, cheerfully oblivious to Minseok's conflicted feelings.

Han is just outside, helping Jongdae hang the wash, and Minseok darts a nervous glance at the door. "It's nothing," he says gruffly.

Baekhyun looks unconvinced, and amused at Minseok's expense. "It doesn't seem like nothing."

"It _should_ be nothing."

Baekhyun's smile wavers, but he pushes through it. "Do you like him?"

It's all very new, but Minseok can't deny that he's fond of Han. If only it were as simple as that. "I do, but I also _want_ him."

Baekhyun frowns, understandably confused. "What's the problem with that?"

Minseok struggles to put into words what he's feeling. It's hard when he doesn't entirely understand it himself. "I want him to be _mine_. All mine, and only mine. I don't like the way it feels."

Baekhyun's frown deepens. "You think it's the curse?"

Minseok looks down, not wanting to see the fear and sadness in Baekhyun's eyes. "It must be. It doesn't feel like something separate from me, but it's not like me to be possessive. Right?" In a way, that's the most difficult part of the curse, the fear that maybe these dark feelings were inside him all along, and he's not the person he thought he was.

"Of course not," Baekhyun answers firmly, without hesitation. "Don't forget that."

"I won't," Minseok assures him, but he doesn't quite believe it.

Silence descends, a rare occurrence when Baekhyun is around. Minseok looks up to see the same fear and sadness lingering on Baekhyun's face, but then Baekhyun manages a small smile. "Look," he says. "I understand that you're scared. That is, I don't understand what it's like for you, but...if we can't find a way to break it, this curse is going to take everything away from us, and that's hard to handle. But we're not there yet. We're still alive, and still mostly us, and we can't just give up and wait for the end. You're the only one of us who still has a chance at something like this, so why not take it? You haven't done anything bad because of those feelings, have you?"

"No, but..." Minseok sighs. Baekhyun is right, but he also thinks he's not wrong to worry. "Promise me you'll stop me if you think I might hurt him. Don't hesitate, whatever I say to you. If you think I can't control myself anymore, promise you'll make me stop."

"I promise," Baekhyun says. "But I don't..." He pauses and bites his lip. "Do you feel a lot of new things like that? Bad things?"

"Not a lot. Just like you haven't changed that much yet." Minseok wants to say more, to talk about how afraid he is of losing himself, but Baekhyun already looks so sad that he can't do it. "I'm all right. You don't need to worry yet."

The door opens and Jongdae and Han come back inside. "What's going on in here?" Jongdae asks.

"Just talking." Baekhyun smiles, looking for all the world like his usual cheerful self. "Gossiping about you, of course."

Jongdae laughs, and any remaining tension in the room dissipates. It doesn't take Minseok's fears with it, but it does make them easier to ignore, for now.

 

The next day dawns sunny & unseasonably warm, and the weather buoys Minseok's spirits. The shadows of the world seem less dark when the sun is shining brightly and it feels like they barely need the fire. It doesn't truly make everything go away, but he can ignore it for the time being.

Minseok agrees to Han's suggestion of a walk in the early afternoon with more enthusiasm than usual. He still dresses warmly, just in case, but when he steps outside, the sun is warm on his face, and he opens his coat almost immediately. Han seems happy in the sun too, looking up with a big smile on his face. The pallor is gone from his skin, glowing in the sun. It makes Minseok think that Han might be well enough to leave soon, and the thought makes him sadder than he cares to admit. It's for the best, but that doesn't mean he won't miss Han when he's gone.

For now, he pushes all of that out of his mind and enjoys the beautiful day. Han takes his hand, despite the lack of excuse of cold, and their hands swing between them as they walk. "It must be nice here in the spring," Han comments. "With green and flowers and weather like this more often.

"It is." Minseok has many fond memories of playing in the woods when they're alive with greenery.

"Do you go outside without being forced to when it's warmer?" Han asks, smiling to soften his teasing.

Minseok is used to teasing, about this in particular, and he has to admit it's justified. "I do. Sometimes even for a whole day."

Han laughs. "I'll believe it when I see it." Minseok wonders if he ever will; he should be gone long before spring arrives.

They walk for a while, making short bursts of conversation in between stretches of companionable silence. On a day like this, Minseok would be happy to take a long walk, but when he notices Han's pace is flagging, he slows down. They reach a clearing soon after, and he stops as if to look around, though really to let Han rest. He doesn't complain, but it's obvious that he's getting tired.

Minseok's intention is to let Han rest, but Han seems to have other things in mind. He leans back against one of the sturdier trees and pulls Minseok into him. Minseok catches himself with his hands on Han's shoulders, leaving a little distance between them. "Hello there," he says.

Han grins. He's stopped asking every time if he can kiss Minseok, because Minseok usually lets him do it now, at least for a while. This time, too, when Han leans in to capture his lips, Minseok kisses back. He's in a good mood today, and it's easy to lose himself in it without any of that worrying intensity. He even lets Han pull him closer until they're flush against each other. Their coats get in the way of Minseok feeling much of Han's body, but it still feels more intimate when they're so close.

Something usually stops them from kissing for too long any one time, whether it's the cold, Baekhyun or Jongdae interrupting, or Minseok getting uncomfortable with what's going on in his head. Today, though, Minseok is if anything too warm in his coat, Baekhyun and Jongdae are nowhere near them, and no unpleasant feelings intrude on the moment. With nothing to get in the way, they keep kissing, deep and slow and relaxed.

When they finally break apart after a while, they're both breathing hard, and Han's cheeks are flushed prettily. "Minseok." He stops and licks his lips distractedly.

"What?"

By way of answer, Han lets go of Minseok, who takes an uncertain step back. He doesn't get any farther because Han moves away from the tree and catches his arm. He tugs gently until Minseok moves into the position he was in, leaning against the tree. Minseok is wondering where this is going, but Han only steps in close and kisses him again. Minseok doesn't mind, but he wonders what Han was thinking.

Whatever his motivation, Han kisses more hungrily now, and if it's coming from him, Minseok doesn't have to be afraid. Han licks into his mouth as he presses close again, his knee slipping between Minseok's legs. He rocks into Minseok, just enough to make his breath catch and a shiver of desire run through him. A small, wary part of him says, _This is too much,_ but the rest of Minseok is happy to give in and let whatever Han wants happen. If they're already gone this far, they may as well continue.

He gets his answer to what Han wants when he pulls away a second time, his cheeks redder now. He looks at Minseok for a long moment, opening his mouth like he wants to say something but then closing it again. Minseok's not surprised; as Han told him before, he does better without words. What does surprise Minseok is what comes next: Han slowly sinks down to his knees, looking up at Minseok to gauge his reaction. Only when he's on the ground does he ask, "Minseok, do you...?"

Physically, Minseok wants it. That's an easy question to answer. The rest is more complicated, whether he can trust himself with Han, and whether it's a good idea under the circumstances, but there's no reason to think he won't be able to control himself, and what's the harm if Han wants to do this?

"Am I going too fast?" Han asks. There's pink in the shell of his ears and Minseok suspects he's embarrassed. "You can tell me—"

"No," Minseok cuts in, making his decision. "You’re not."

Han looks very pleased with his answer. "Good." Now that he has Minseok's approval, Han sets about getting his pants open with fumblingly eager hands. Minseok watches without interfering, letting out a pleased sigh when Han touches him. He uses his hand first, and then his tongue, and then finally his mouth, making Minseok lean heavily against the tree as his legs quiver beneath him. Han may look innocent, but he moves with confidence, steadily winding Minseok up.

It's not until Minseok is close to his climax that it hits him, that same feeling of intense _want_ , magnified under the current circumstances. He fights the urge to roughly take what he wants instead of waiting for Han to give it to him, clenching his hand in Han's hair but keeping his hips still. "Faster," he groans, and Han indulges him, bobbing his head more quickly.

Minseok doesn't do anything he wouldn't normally do, but there's a dark edge to his thoughts as he watches Han take him in, a feeling of smug satisfaction that isn't like him. _What a mess I could make of your pretty face,_ he catches himself thinking, but before he can feel properly shocked, he tips over the edge and forgets himself in the moment of blissful release. Han's mouth pulls him through it, his hands clutching at Minseok's thighs as though he's lost in the moment too.

Han releases him with a smile, licking his lips exaggeratedly. Minseok feels like himself—and only himself—again, and so he smiles too, offering Han a hand up. Han takes it and gets to his feet, falling into Minseok and giving him a brief kiss. When he pulls back, Minseok cheerfully tells him, "You were right. It's better when you don't talk."

Han smacks him on the shoulder quite hard, but they both laugh, and in spite of everything, for this brief, simple moment, Minseok feels happy.


	3. Chapter 3

It's strange, Han's current situation. On the one hand, he's been sent far away from everything he knows, betrayed by his brother and believed to be an attempted murderer by the rest of his family, to say nothing of the fact that he came close to dying. On the other hand, he's recovering well from his illness, and enjoying the company of Baekhyun and Jongdae and especially Minseok. The last thing he expected to find in his exile to the edge of the kingdom is romance, and he's not even completely sure yet that that's what this is, but he's enjoying it regardless.

Baekhyun and Jongdae are fun to be around, and easy to understand. Minseok, however, confuses Han. Sometimes, he's sweet, laughing and letting Han kiss him and hold his hand like they're a couple of kids. Sometimes he's quiet, more serious, and Han doesn't know what's going on in his head, but he still smiles a little and kisses Han back if he starts it. Other times, he's cold, avoiding not just Han but Baekhyun and Jongdae too. There must be a good reason for it, but Han can't guess what, and he doesn't feel that he can ask. He lets Minseok have his space then, and appreciates his company when he can.

The day after their eventful walk in the woods, the weather remembers that it's still winter, and it starts to snow, slow at first and quickly getting heavier. Han is tired anyway, but in this weather, he's happy to stay inside. Even Jongdae and Baekhyun decide against leaving the house, except to bring in some extra firewood, sitting by the fire and talking and laughing as they always do. Han sits with them and laughs along but doesn't try to get a word in edgewise.

Minseok, for his part, seems to be in a mood, and he stays out of the way, finding things to occupy himself with around the house. Han leaves him be, and he notices that Baekhyun and Jongdae ignore him too. As noisy as they can be, they're clearly aware of when Minseok needs his space. Of course they are; they've known him far longer than Han has. Han wonders, though, if Minseok has always been like this, or if things have changed since the curse happened and he started living in isolation with Baekhyun and Jongdae.

It's a pleasant enough day, despite Minseok's mood, until evening. Minseok's putting together dinner, after refusing Han's help, and Baekhyun and Jongdae are laughingly telling Han a story about Baekhyun's last birthday, volume rising higher and higher in their excitement, when suddenly, out of the blue, Minseok snaps, "Can't you just be quiet for once?"

He's louder than Han has ever heard him, and angry, and it's a surprise to Han to hear him sound like that. The shocked and unhappy expressions on Baekhyun and Jongdae's faces tell Han that they're not used to Minseok having outbursts like this either. What's even more unexpected is Minseok's reaction: for a few seconds, he only looks angry, but then that disappears and he looks shaken, as though it was a shock even to him. Why would he look like that when he's the one who yelled?

A long silence follows Minseok's words. Baekhyun and Jongdae stare at him, and Han looks back and forth between them. There's something going on between them that he doesn't understand, and he wants to, but he doesn't dare ask. Whatever is going on, it feels like he's not meant to be a part of it.

"I'm sorry," Minseok says at last, his voice small and unsteady. "I'm sorry."

Jongdae gets up and hurries over to Minseok, herding him into a corner and speaking to him in a low voice that Han can't make out. He watches for a moment, lost, until Baekhyun speaks up. "Don't mind Minseok," he says, with a laugh that's a little awkward but seemingly genuine to Han's ears. "He loves us, but he gets stir-crazy and blows up sometimes. He'll be better in the spring when we're not cooped up inside as much. It's nothing to worry about."

Han darts a glance over at Minseok, but he's almost hidden behind Jongdae, who is still murmuring inaudibly. He's not entirely convinced by Baekhyun's explanation, given how he and Jongdae reacted to Minseok's explosion, but it makes as much sense as any explanation he could come up with. Han likes to be around people, as Baekhyun and Jongdae also seem to; maybe he just doesn't understand what it's like for someone like Minseok, who needs quiet and time alone.

"You're very different, aren't you?" Han asks. "From Minseok, that is."

Baekhyun smiles. "We are, aren't we? Sometimes I'm not sure why Minseok is friends with us, but I'm glad he is." He looks over at Minseok and Jongdae, and the corners of his lips turn downwards, then spring back up again. "He's a good friend. He's always been a very good friend."

Minseok and Jongdae finish their conversation, and Jongdae pulls Minseok over to sit with them by the fire. Minseok keeps his eyes down, not looking at Han, but he sits close to Jongdae, and smiles just a little when Baekhyun squeezes his thigh comfortingly. Whatever it is that made him angry, it seems to have passed, and Han is glad of it. There's still a lot here that he doesn't understand, but he lets it go. He just wants Minseok to be happy, and Baekhyun and Jongdae too. If the way to make that happen is to not ask questions, then that's what he's going to do.

 

***

 

With Baekhyun and Jongdae both no longer able to be seen in public, it falls to Minseok to go get whatever they need from the village. Despite the snow on the ground and the chill in the air, he finds himself glad of the opportunity to get away. He's complained about Baekhyun and Jongdae being noisy before, but that burst of anger that led him to snap at them was far beyond his usual feelings. Being away from his friends won't do anything about the curse, but at least it'll give him some time alone to think about what happened and get back to himself.

Returning to the village gives him a feeling of coming home, but it's also strange. Here, nothing has changed in the months since he and Baekhyun and Jongdae found out about the curse on them. The buildings are the same and the people are the same and the market is just the way it's been since he was a child, holding onto his mother's skirts as she did her shopping. There's something comforting about that, but also jarring, because unlike the village, Minseok _has_ changed. 

He's changed, and even if the curse were broken tomorrow, there would be no reclaiming his lost innocence. He and Baekhyun and Jongdae are never going back to who they were before. Part of that is simply growing up, but a lot more of it is knowing that somebody wanted to hurt him and his friends; he can never look at the world the same way after that. Even more, there's the feeling that there's darkness inside of him, deep and inescapable. Maybe it's all the curse, but he'll never be able to forget what that feels like.

He tries not to think about that now, smiling and greeting all the familiar people as he makes his way through the market. Even in this small village, the market is always full of chatter, everyone eager to catch up on the latest gossip, especially when word of something exciting has come from out of town. "Did you hear about the prince?" asks Gyuri as she sells Minseok eggs. She's the same age as Jongdae and Baekhyun's brothers, helping her mother with the stall.

"What about the prince?" Minseok asks. "Which prince?" Living out here at the edge of the kingdom, princes have never been much on his mind, and especially not now. He knows they have three, but he couldn't say much about them beyond that.

"Prince Han!" Gyuri says. "The youngest one." 

Minseok still doesn't much care, but the name catches his attention. He'd almost forgotten that they have a prince named Han. "What about him?"

"There's no official word, but rumor has it that he's been exiled. Something about an attempt on the king's life. It's hard to believe he wouldn't be executed for that, but what do I know about how these things work? People say he was sent to the edge of the kingdom. Can you imagine if he ended up here? I sure would love to meet a prince...though not a traitorous one, of course."

Minseok nods along to her comments, but inside, he's thinking about Han—his Han, if he can say that—back at the cabin with Baekhyun and Jongdae. It's not possible, is it, that he's the prince Gyuri is talking about? A prince couldn't possibly be staying in their tiny little cabin, laughing with Baekhyun and Jongdae and enthusiastically flirting with Minseok. Not only that, but there's no way this Han could have tried to kill the king, his father. 

But then, he did say that his father sent him away because he was blamed for doing something wrong. He did say his father was a powerful man who sent him far away from his home. He did come to them with princely rich clothes and gold in his bag. Could it be that he really is the youngest prince? Minseok can't believe it, but it does make a strange kind of sense.

He spends the rest of his shopping time and the whole walk home thinking about it. It's been obvious all along that Han comes from a privileged background. Everything from his clothing to his lack of knowledge of cooking and other household chores screams nobility. At the same time, he's unpretentious, content to share a bed with three other people and eat simple food and help around the house however he can. His accent is nothing like the way Minseok, Baekhyun and Jongdae speak, but he doesn't laugh or look down at them. All in all, he's nothing like what Minseok would expect of a prince.

At the same time, it fits too well. A young man named Han, of noble birth turning up in the woods near the northern border with very little to his name and a story suspiciously like that of the exiled prince. Is it possible that Minseok's been not only sharing a bed with a prince but kissing one, and even doing more than kissing?

When Minseok arrives home, he finds Han sitting on the bed with Jongdae while Baekhyun...Minseok isn't sure what Baekhyun is doing, to tell the truth, but that's not unusual. Han is laughing unabashedly, his mouth open wide, and he looks nothing like Minseok would expect a prince to. Surely the similarity in his name and his story must be only a coincidence, strange but ultimately unimportant.

"How was the market?" Jongdae asks. Baekhyun stops whatever story he's telling and turns to look at Minseok. 

"Same as always," Minseok says. He has to know the truth, one way or another, so he continues, "I heard some interesting gossip, though. There hasn't been any official word, but rumor has it that the youngest prince has been exiled to the edge of the kingdom after an attempt on the king's life. Prince Han." He watches Han as he speaks, and sees his expression shift from vague interest to wariness to fear before his eyes finally widen in shock at the name. That, without him saying a word, is enough to tell Minseok that it isn't a coincidence, that Han really is the prince.

Baekhyun and Jongdae both turn their attention on Han, and they don't miss his reaction either. "You?" Baekhyun bursts out. "You're a _prince_?"

Han looks sheepish, but also nervous, as though he's worried about how they'll react. "I am. I'm sorry I didn't tell you, but I..." He looks over at Minseok. "Please believe me, whatever you heard, it's not true. I told you the truth when I said that I did nothing wrong. I would never hurt my father, but my brother set me up. I never wanted to hurt anyone. I _didn't_ hurt anyone."

"It's all right," Minseok assures him. "We believe you." It's a shock, finding out who Han really is, but Minseok has no more reason to doubt him than he did before. He can understand why Han wouldn't tell him the whole truth, and it's not as if he's been completely honest with Han himself.

"You're really a prince?" Jongdae asks, wide eyed. "And you don't mind living with us here?" He gestures around the cabin.

"Not at all!" Han assures them. "I would be dead if not for you. I'm incredibly grateful for everything you've done for me. I hope...I hope this doesn't change anything between us."

"Well." Baekhyun does his awkward laugh. "You can understand it's a bit of a shock for us, but if you're all right with it, then we are too. We like you, prince or not." He looks at Jongdae and Minseok, who both nod their agreement.

Minseok is not suddenly opposed to Han being here just because it turns out he's a prince, but it makes everything that's happened between him and Han feel different. He's only an ordinary young man from a simple country village, aside from the curse. The fact that a prince held his hand and kissed him and...it's too much to take in. He retreats to the kitchen area to organize what he brought home with him, and more so to process the new situation.

Han leaves him be, but once Minseok has run out of things to do and is just fidgeting around, rearranging things, Jongdae comes over. "Are you hiding?" he asks, keeping his voice low enough that Han and Baekhyun won't hear.

Minseok looks away. He doesn't need to answer; Jongdae knows him too well.

"What's wrong?" Jongdae asks. "Does it bother you to know that he's a prince?"

"He..." Minseok thinks back on the time he's spent with Han, and he feels his cheeks burn. "He went down on his knees for me."

Jongdae bursts out laughing, ruining any attempt at subtlety. Han and Baekhyun look over, but he waves them away. He waits until they give up and look away to say, "It wasn't bad, was it?"

"No." Minseok's cheeks are on fire. It's nothing to be ashamed of, or at least it wasn't, but knowing who Han is... "But a prince..." Surely Jongdae must understand that that's not something easily shrugged off.

Jongdae smiles, sympathetic but also amused at Minseok's expense. "I'd be shocked too. But he knew he was a prince when he did that, even if you didn't. If it didn't bother him, why should it bother you? You didn't force him, did you?"

"No, of course not," Minseok says.

"Then what's the problem, if you both wanted it? He's the same person he was before."

Jongdae has a point, though it's not so easy for Minseok to shrug off. "I guess that's true..." he concedes.

"It is strange," Jongdae says. "A prince, here, with the likes of us, sharing our cabin and our bed. But he's a good man, and he likes you just as you are. Don't think too hard about it, all right?" 

Minseok looks over at Han, who is talking to Baekhyun but darting repeated glances over in his direction. He still looks nervous, and Minseok can't believe that a prince is nervous because of him, but it seems he is. He smiles weakly, and a relieved smile blossoms over Han's face. He looks so happy, and so beautiful, and in spite of the many complications, how can Minseok refuse that? "I'll try," he tells Jongdae. Bracing himself, he goes back over to join Baekhyun and Han.

 

***

 

Since he woke up from his fever, Han has been dreading the possibility of Minseok, Jongdae and Baekhyun finding out the truth about him. He didn't know how it might happen or what they might hear about him, but he's felt all along the it was bound to happen sooner or later.

It's not as bad as he feared, in the end. Baekhyun and Jongdae take it well, eagerly asking Han all kinds of questions about his life before. It's a little painful to remember, but he's happy that he can be honest now. As for Minseok, while he seems uncomfortable, he claims to be all right with it too. It's a relief, seeing that they won't turn Han out even now that they've heard everything. It's also a relief to know that there's nothing more for him to hide, that he can be himself without worrying about giving anything away.

Although Minseok insists it doesn't bother him that Han's a prince, it does become obvious over the course of the next day that he's avoiding Han, to the extent that he can in this little cabin. Han waits it out, hoping it'll pass, but when it doesn't, he decides they need to talk. Baekhyun and Jongdae go out, conspicuously announcing that they'll be gone for an hour or two, and Han takes the hint and takes advantage of the opportunity to approach Minseok alone. He goes to join Minseok at the table, sitting down and asking point-blank, "Are we all right?"

"Of course we are," Minseok answers immediately, without looking at him.

"Are we really?" Han pushes. "You've been avoiding me."

"I'm not..." Minseok flushes, and despite his concerns, Han is distractingly charmed. "It's just...you're a prince."

"Is that a problem?"

"I..." Minseok's cheeks darken, and Han wants very much to kiss him, but it's important that they talk about this first. "I'm no one. For a prince to be with me..."

"I'm a prince in exile," Han points out. "Barely even a prince anymore. I'm nothing special. And I like being with you. As long as you like being with me, I don't see a problem."

Minseok finally looks up at him, though he's still blushing. "I do, but..."

"But nothing," Han counters. "I don't know what's going to happen to me, after everything, but for now..." He smiles, thinking back to earlier conversations. "I hope it's still all right for me to kiss you."

Minseok is so red now; Han finds it adorable. "If you want to," he says meekly. "If you really want to, I guess it's all right."

By way of answer, Han stands up and kisses Minseok softly. Minseok hesitates for only a moment before he kisses back, and relief washes over Han. Everything else is complicated—in particular, it's not a good sign if word of his exile is getting out—but for the moment, at least, Han can just enjoy kissing Minseok. In spite of everything else, at least this much, he can still have.

They break apart after a while, and Han smiles at Minseok up close, feeling more confident now. "And is it all right for me to do more than kiss you?" he asks cheekily.

There's still pink lingering in Minseok's cheeks, and that makes Han smile that much wider. "If you want to," Minseok answers.

Han leans in to give Minseok one more kiss. "Oh, I do."

 

***

 

It's around a month now since Baekhyun brought Han to their cabin. He doesn't seem to be back to his full strength from what Minseok can see, but he's able to walk a little farther every time they go out, and he doesn't take a nap most days anymore. He could probably survive on his own now, if he had to, but nobody has suggested it yet, least of all Han. Given what he knows about Han's situation, Minseok can understand why he doesn't want to leave, but he'll have to, sooner or later. This is no life for a prince, even an exile, and besides, there's no future for any of them here. 

The curse is progressing slowly, but it's progressing. Minseok needs only to look at the fur on Jongdae's head or Baekhyun's wolf ears and tail to see that. Unless they can find some reprieve, Minseok expects that by summertime, Baekhyun and Jongdae will be in fully animal form, and he'll be equally unrecognizable. If the pace of the changes picks up, the end may come even sooner. Han needs to be gone well before that happens. If not, he'll only be hurt before still ending up alone.

Minseok can't forget what's coming, but whether out of cowardice or selfishness, he doesn't encourage Han to leave. He's all but given up on pushing Han away too, and while he feels guilty about it, he can't help wanting to hold onto this happiness while he can. He remembers what Baekhyun said about not giving up on life until the curse forces him to. There will be a time when Han needs to leave, for his own sake, but Minseok convinces himself that they're not there yet.

For now, life continues. They walk in the woods, hunt and trap what game they can, cook and eat, sleep and laugh together. That's the strangest thing, really, that despite the curse, despite having a prince living with them, day-to-day life seems unremarkable more often than not. It's easy, if Minseok lets himself, to forget what's happened and what's to come, and just continue moving forward. Like that, he can enjoy the small things, food and laughter, Baekhyun and Jongdae's smiles, and the warmth of Han's lips on his.

Baekhyun and Jongdae tease Minseok (and Han too, though with a little more restraint than before they found out he's a prince) about their interactions, but they're also reasonably tactful. They take their time when they go out to check the traps or gather firewood, and they go for walks or "to watch the sunset" so that Minseok and Han can have time alone. Minseok is used to a certain lack of privacy, but there are some things his friends don't need to see, so he's glad to have time to himself with Han.

On one pleasant morning, Baekhyun announces, "We're going to go exploring, since it's nice out. We'll be back by dark, but the house is all yours until then. Keep it safe for us." He winks, prompting Minseok to roll his eyes.

"Your friends aren't very subtle," Han comments once Baekhyun and Jongdae are gone.

Minseok smiles sheepishly. "No, they're not. Do you mind?"

"It's all right. I suppose it's hard to have secrets when you live in such close quarters with people."

That's not entirely true, considering the big secret Minseok is keeping from Han, but he nods anyway. "So what do you want to do with this day to ourselves?"

"I have an idea or two." Even as he speaks, Han takes Minseok's hands and backs him into the bed. "There's no hurry, though, if we have all day." He kisses Minseok nice and slow, showing just how unhurried he's feeling.

They kiss like that for a while before moving onto the bed. This is new for them, though lying on the bed doesn't involve touching much more than they have standing up. That's all right at first, but Minseok finds himself wanting more. He shifts their positions until he's on top of Han, rocking into him as they continue kissing. Han gasps, and the sound makes Minseok feel satisfied and also hungry for more. That makes him a little nervous, but he doesn't think it's the curse, only the kind of reaction that would be expected in this situation.

It's hard to know, but he thinks it's normal to feel a thrill of desire when Han pushes up against him, to want to dive into Han's mouth and roll his hips downward until a soft moan escapes Han. Who wouldn't want to eagerly take with Han spread out beneath them, flushed and willing? He wants to feel Han's whole body, to take off his clothes and see and touch him, to find out how far they can go.

"Minseok," Han breathes, a plea for more.

Minseok sits up, straddling Han's hips, and starts to unbutton Han's shirt, letting his fingers brush Han's skin as he bares more and more of it. "What do you want?" he asks.

"I want..." The touch of Minseok's fingers seems to be distracting Han, and he fumbles for an answer. "I want everything off. I want to feel you."

They've touched often enough by now, but between the cold, being rushed, and the fact that some of the touching has been outside, where it's not impossible that someone could see them, they haven't taken off any more clothing than they needed to. Today, for the first time, Minseok systematically removes all of Han's clothing until he's laid out bare. His skin is smooth and pale, a sign of the privileged life he led until recently. He's thin, perhaps a remnant of his illness, but not unhealthily so. Minseok is eager to touch him, to feel Han's body with nothing between them.

"You too," Han demands. He sounds almost whiny, and it makes Minseok smile.

Minseok obediently takes off his own clothes while Han watches. As he shrugs off his shirt, he fleetingly, guiltily thinks about Baekhyun and Jongdae, about the patches of fur and perhaps other changes he's missed hidden under their clothing. It doesn't seem fair for him to still be perfectly human, to have a body he's not afraid of showing. Then again, what is fair about this curse? It's not his choice.

He can't focus on that with Han's eyes heavy on him, and he doesn't try. He finishes undressing and climbs over Han again, bending down to kiss him. Their hands roam each other's bodies, and eventually their lips too, feathering kisses over skin. "Feels good," Han murmurs into the hollow of Minseok's throat. "You look so good." Minseok shivers at the brush of Han's lips against his skin.

They continue like that for a long time, limbs tangled together, rocking against each other, until Han gasps out another, "Minseok." It sounds like he wants to say something beyond that, so Minseok pulls back, propping himself up on his elbow. "Let's not stop here."

"What do you want?" Minseok asks again. Part of the reason he's letting Han decide is because, however much he says it doesn't matter, Han is a prince. Another part is because he doesn't trust his own self-restraint, and it's easier to believe that he's not going too far if he's doing what Han wants. At the same time, part of it is because he likes to see Han smile, likes to make him happy. It's a heady, reckless sort of feeling to indulge in that, but it's easy to give in.

Han looks at him for a long moment. "I want you," he says, voice dipping low. "I want...you."

Even at this point, Minseok is still surprised. "Do you mean...?"

Han's red ears are answer enough. "Unless you don't want to..."

His embarrassment makes Minseok smile, and he can't resist bending down to murmur in Han's ear, "It's not every day I get to have a prince."

Han half-heartedly pushes him away. "Don't tease me."

"All right. No teasing." Minseok waves Han over to him and gives him a conciliatory kiss.

He prepares Han with slow, careful fingers until he's breathless and trembling and looking at Minseok with pleading eyes. "Ready?" Minseok asks at last, and Han nods eagerly.

"Tell me if I hurt you," Minseok murmurs before he slides in, the thought of why that might happen lost in the tight warmth of Han's body and the encouraging sound of his low moan. Minseok focuses on the growing pleasure he feels and on Han's reaction as he rocks his hips slowly and then gradually faster, going deeper with each stroke. He touches Han as he moves, and feels his body respond.

On and on, they move together, reveling in each other's bodies. Minseok wants to make it last, and for a while he does, but it feels too good to hold back forever. His patience evaporates as his desire builds, and he starts to snap his hips harder, driving in deep. Han doesn't object, only drops down onto his elbows and moans into the bedsheets, so Minseok continues like that, hard and fast. 

That niggling, familiar thought of "Is this really you?" sneaks into the corner of his mind, but he tries to ignore it. There's nothing wrong with seeking pleasure, and he's not doing anything Han doesn't want. It doesn't have to be the curse just because he's gotten a little rough. But then again, it could be, and there's no way to know for sure, so Minseok can't erase that lingering shred of doubt.

Oblivious to Minseok's inner conflict, Han shakes beneath him, rocking forward into Minseok's hand and back to meet his thrusts. He's gone quieter now, gasping for breath, tense as if he's right on the edge. Sure enough, it's not long before he cries out and spills onto Minseok's hand, body clenching around him. He's just finishing when Minseok's own release hits him in a flood of pleasure. Then, finally, he's able to stop worrying about what is the curse and what's really him, to stop being afraid, and for one blissful moment feel nothing but good.

 

***

 

Lying in bed with Minseok, Han feels very happy, and that's strange, in a way. When he found out he was going to be sent away, and when his brother came to see him and he learned who was responsible, it felt as if his life was over. How could he survive after that, let alone find happiness again?

The hurt of Jeongsu's betrayal and the way his parents and Yunho wouldn't believe that he was innocent hasn't gone away. Han doubts it ever will, but it no longer dominates his thoughts. Not only that, but he's starting to be able to see a future for himself. He can imagine staying here and being happy leading a simple life in this little cabin.

It's presumptuous of him to assume he's welcome, and he's aware that the curse makes the life he's living here more precarious than it seems. There's no telling when Baekhyun and Jongdae will no longer be able to live as humans. At the same time, the curse could still be broken, and even if it isn't, Minseok will be here when they're gone. It won't be the same, but they could be all right with just the two of them.

And if it turns out that the happiness Han has found here is only temporary, well, at least he's rediscovered hope. If he does have to move on, sooner or later, he can believe now that he'll be able to live and maybe even thrive in time. Whatever happens, he'll be forever grateful for that.

Minseok is warm against Han's side, but he's quiet, lost in his own thoughts. Han rolls over, draping his arm across Minseok's chest. "What are you thinking?" he asks, pressing a kiss to Minseok's shoulder.

Minseok starts ever so slightly at Han's touch, but then he relaxes again. "Nothing important," he says lightly.

"Any regrets?"

"None." There's a tinge of sadness to Minseok's smile, but only a small one. Han can guess easily enough what the cause is, guilt or sorrow at what his friends are going through while he's enjoying himself.

"Good." They lapse into silence again. Han finds Minseok's hand and absently plays with his fingers, smiling to himself.

A minute or two passes before Minseok asks, "Han?"

"Hm?" Han lets go of Minseok's hand and looks at him, but Minseok's eyes are on the ceiling.

"Have you thought about what you'll do in the future, once you're feeling better?" His tone is casual, and Han wishes it was easier to tell what he's thinking, whether he wants Han to stay.

Han is feeling much better, probably enough so that he could strike out on his own, but he doesn't want to do that if he doesn't have to. "Are you trying to get rid of me? Right after we had sex too." He tries to make a joke of it, but he suspects it's obvious that he's nervous.

Minseok doesn't laugh, or even smile. "I'm not. But you could do better than here. Especially with everything that's going on... You shouldn't get caught up in our problems."

"You're here, aren't you?" Han counters.

"It's different for me." 

Han frowns at the resignation in Minseok's voice. Of course Minseok is much closer to Baekhyun and Jongdae than he is, but that doesn't mean his life should be over because of what's happening to his friends. He wants to argue, but he can't think of a way to say that that doesn't sound callous. "If you want me to go, I'll go," he says instead. "But I have nowhere else to go, and you know, it's not so bad being here." Minseok is quiet, so Han hesitantly asks, " _Do_ you want me to go?"

Minseok sighs heavily. "No." There's no doubt in his answer, quiet as it is, and it fills Han with relief. "But I want you to be happy."

"I am happy. See?" Han scoots up so Minseok can't miss his exaggeratedly wide smile. He's glad when that gets a smile from Minseok. "You don't need to worry about me, all right?"

He kisses Minseok just in case he wants to argue, and Minseok doesn't fight it. It's not quite the enthusiastic endorsement of him staying here that Han would have liked, but for now, it's enough. 

 

Baekhyun and Jongdae tease them when they come home, although Minseok and Han are clean and dressed, with no indication of how they spent their time alone. Han doesn't generally like being teased, but he's happy to see Baekhyun and Jongdae smiling and laughing with no hint of jealousy. It'll be good for Minseok to see that his friends want him to be happy, to keep living his life despite their plight.

Minseok and Han don't get more time alone until the following afternoon when Baekhyun and Jongdae head out in search of firewood and perhaps food. Minseok lets Han distract him from his usual puttering around the house with kissing for a few minutes before gently pushing him away. "I need to start dinner." At Han's answering pout, he adds, "Then there can be more kissing."

Han grins, pleased with his easy victory. "I'll help you out so it goes faster." He's gotten surprisingly adept at chopping vegetables, at least compared to before. That makes him smile too; imagine that, a prince getting used to cooking for himself and others.

Minseok ducks out to grab some firewood and comes back frowning. "I didn't realize we were down to twigs. I'm going to see what I can find close by to tide us over until Baekhyun and Jongdae get back. Can you keep an eye on things here?"

They haven't started anything cooking yet, so there's only the fire to watch over, which is well within Han's capabilities. "Of course," he says.

Satisfied, Minseok puts on his coat and hurries out. Han pokes at the fire for a few seconds, but it's burning steadily and there's really nothing he needs to do. Bored, he starts to wander around the cabin. It's tiny and sparsely furnished, so there's very little to see, but he hasn't looked around much since there are usually people home to distract him. 

He looks at the bed, thinking how small it is compared to the one he slept in all alone in the castle, and at the table and the small kitchen area. There's a shelf above the foot of the bed, and he studies the strangely shaped carvings on it, no doubt courtesy of Baekhyun. He's just about to turn away when he notices a folded piece of paper underneath one of the carvings. He shouldn't be nosy, but curiosity gets the better of him and he pulls it out.

There's a broken wax seal on the paper but no name, which only makes Han more curious. With a furtive glance around the cabin, he unfolds the paper. It is a letter, with Minseok's name at the top. Han hesitates again. He knows he shouldn't read a letter to Minseok, but despite the time they've spent together, Minseok is still somewhat mysterious to him. If this letter will provide some insight, he wants to read it. His conscience holds him back, and just as he's almost convinced himself to put the letter back, he catches the word "curse" in the middle and stops.

Is this letter about the curse? But then why is it addressed to Minseok rather than Baekhyun and Jongdae? He looks down at the bottom, but there's no signature to give him a hint of the content. Han's curiosity finally gets the better of him, and he starts to read.

_Minseok,_

_You don't know me, but I know you. More accurately, I know your parents. I grew up with them, years ago. Your father was awfully self-righteous and I never liked him, but I was fond of your mother. I thought perhaps she was fond of me, but it turned out I was mistaken. She looked down on me, just as your father did. She was just like him in all the worst ways, thinking that because she was nice to people, she was better than me. As if being nice is all that matters in life._

_It's because of your parents that I left this village, and because of them that I've suffered, and so it's because of them that I placed a curse on you and your friends._

Han stops abruptly, shocked. He reads the sentence again, once, twice, three times, but the meaning doesn't change: the writer of this letter is saying that _Minseok_ is under a curse, with Baekhyun and Jongdae—presumably the friends he's referring to—merely an afterthought. But how is that possible when Minseok has shown no signs of changing? Perplexed, Han reads on.

_Your friends will lose their humanity one piece at a time, turning into animals in a monstrous way. And you, my boy, will lose far more. Your parents valued being nice and good so much that I'm sure you're the same, and that's why I've cursed you to lose that goodness piece by piece. You'll stay the same on the outside as you become a monster on the inside, and there will be nothing you can do to stop it._

_I hope your parents will be there to watch, to see the child they raised to be like them change. I hope they blame themselves for hurting you, or for raising a monster. It's a shame I won't be there to see it, but I'll treasure the thought._

The letter ends abruptly there, and Han stares at it in shock. The petty reason for the curse makes him angry, but he can't think about that while he's still trying to understand that _Minseok_ is cursed. It explains why Minseok is here with Baekhyun and Jongdae. It explains, most likely, why Minseok seemed unsure about getting involved with Han, and why he was upset after he yelled at Baekhyun, Jongdae and Han for being noisy. It makes a lot of sense, but it's hard to accept that he missed something so big—that Minseok kept something so big from him.

The door opens and Han jumps. He tries to quickly put the letter back but only manages to fumble and drop it on the floor. He kneels to pick it up, and when he stands up again, he finds Minseok watching him. "Did you read it?" he asks. His voice is soft and even, his expression unreadable.

"I did. I'm sorry, I only...I'm sorry." Han feels guilty, but he can't just let it go. "Is it true?" He doesn't need to ask, given Minseok's reaction, but he wants to hear Minseok say it.

"Yes." Minseok looks down, his neutral expression giving way to a hint of hurt.

The silence after Minseok's answer stretches out to the point of awkwardness. Han searches for the right thing to say, but he's still reeling. How can he say anything to Minseok before he understands what he thinks or feels? Minseok doesn't wait for him to figure it out. He dumps his armful of wood on the floor and says, "Keep the fire going, would you? I'm going out." He turns and walks back out, the door closing behind him.

Suddenly Han remembers the way he saw Minseok when he was feverish, darkness swirling around him, and a smile that was kind one moment and cruel the next. Somehow he knew back then, but he couldn't believe it when the Minseok in front of him didn't seem cruel. Perhaps he should have been more willing to believe it after seeing the way darkness hid behind his seemingly kind brother's smile. _It's not the same,_ he tells himself. His brother made his own decisions, but this curse isn't Minseok's fault.

Han sighs heavily and looks at the closed door. _What have you gotten yourself into?_

 

***

 

The sun is on its way down and it's cold outside, but Minseok's mind is so far away he scarcely feels it. All he can think about is the way Han looked at him, shocked and afraid. He's been dreading this moment since Han found out about Baekhyun and Jongdae, and more so since he and Han became close, but he'd begun to delude himself into believing it would never come. He should have known better than to think his luck would hold; luck hasn't been on his side since the curse began its work.

Before he has much time to dwell on that, Baekhyun and Jongdae come home, boisterously cheerful and carrying firewood and a fat rabbit. They stop abruptly when they see Minseok. "What are you doing out here?" Jongdae asks.

Minseok takes a calming breath so he can be sure his voice will be even. "Han found the letter."

Uncomfortable surprise registers on Baekhyun and Jongdae's faces. "We should have thrown it away," Baekhyun mutters. He was ready to burn the letter when they got it, but Minseok is the one who stopped him, and the one who brought the letter with them to the cabin. He's not sure why he kept it—perhaps to remind himself that the curse is real and he's not simply less of a good person than he always thought he was.

"That's not important." Jongdae flashes Minseok a sympathetic look. "What did Han say?"

"Not much. He was in shock."

"And then you left to hide out here?" There's a hint of teasing to Jongdae's words, but gentle. He knows how hard this is for Minseok.

"How long as it been?" Baekhyun asks.

"Only a few minutes."

"I'll go talk to him," Jongdae says. "You two can wait out here." 

They dump the firewood in its usual spot, and Jongdae takes the rabbit and goes inside. Baekhyun leans against the wall next to Minseok. "Do you want to talk?"

"I don't know." Minseok sighs. "I wish..." He wishes a lot of things, but none of them are possible without the curse being broken.

A few moments pass in tense silence. Finally, Baekhyun says, "For what it's worth, I've been paying attention, and I don't feel like I need to stop you. I don't know what Han thinks, if this is something he can accept, but I think you're still you. You're still my friend, and you're still a good man."

Minseok appreciates that, knowing that Baekhyun doesn't say such things lightly, but he's still worried about himself, and about Han. He's worried that Han won't be able to accept the situation like Baekhyun and Jongdae have, and he's worried than Han _will_ accept it. In a way, the prospect of him not wanting to let Minseok go is more frightening than the alternative.

Minseok doesn't know how to respond to Baekhyun's main point, but he says, "I'm glad you're here. I'm sorry that you've been pulled into this mess too, but..."

"Me too," Baekhyun says without hesitation. "I hate all of this, but if it has to happen, I'm glad we're in it together."

The door creaks open, and Minseok tenses. Han peeks around the door, which does nothing to relax him. "Are you coming out?" Baekhyun asks. Han nods. "I'll go inside, then." He pats Minseok on the arm but doesn't say anything more before disappearing into the cabin.

Han looks as nervous and uncomfortable as Minseok feels, meeting his eyes and then looking away, glancing back and then away again. When it appears he's not going to start the conversation, Minseok says, "I'm sorry. That I didn't tell you. I didn't think you'd stay long enough for it to matter, and then..." He doesn't have an excuse, really, except that he was scared. "I understand if it bothers you. I understand if you don't want to be around me anymore."

Han is quiet, and Minseok's heart sinks. He's surprised how much the thought of Han no longer wanting anything to do with him hurts. They've only known each other a few weeks, but he likes Han, and he likes the way being with Han makes him feel.

"I'm still trying to understand," Han says at last. "What the curse means. With Baekhyun and Jongdae, I can see what's happening. With you, I don't know what it means." He looks at Minseok and his lips twist into a weak attempt at a smile. "I'm not upset that you didn't tell me. We both had reasons to keep our secrets. But I want to understand."

Minseok sighs. He's relieved that Han isn't angry, but he hates to think about the curse, and even more to talk about it. "I don't know what it means either. I've read that letter a hundred times, but I still don't know."

"Don't you feel it happening?" Han asks.

"I..." Minseok bites his lip and thinks about how to explain what he barely understands himself. "It's not like with Baekhyun and Jongdae, where clear pieces of them are being replaced by something different. It doesn't feel that way to me, at least. It's more that the bad parts I had before have gotten worse; I get angry more easily, for example. And sometimes, I feel something that that I don't remember feeling before, something darker, but it's not...it doesn't feel separate from me. It's so hard to say where I end and the curse begins."

Han studies him, frowning, as though he's trying to see some outward sign of the changes going on inside of Minseok, but of course there's nothing so obvious. "It's not you," he says decisively. "The person who cursed you was a bad person, but you're not. I can see that."

His certainty makes Minseok happy, but it also scares him. He doubts that he's still a good person, but Han is. He shouldn't be here, where Minseok can hurt him. "Thank you," he says. "But I won't be like this forever. It'll get worse. You shouldn't get attached to me."

Han's smile is sad, but real this time. "Too late." He stops and thinks for a moment. "Is that why you were saying I should go?"

Minseok nods. "All three of us are here for a reason. You don't have to be." He still doesn't want Han to go, but surely now that the truth is out there, he can understand why it's better if he does.

Han studies Minseok again, but now Minseok doesn't know what he's looking for. Whatever it is, he seems to find it, smiling more strongly. "If you want me to go, I'll go, but if you don't... There's still a chance that the curse could be broken, isn't there? I'm not going to write you off yet." He takes a hesitant step toward Minseok. "What do you say?"

It would be better, still, for Minseok to push Han away, but as Han said, it's too late. They've both gotten attached. "I don't want to hurt you..." he protests weakly.

"This is my choice," Han says firmly. "I trust you, and I'll be careful. I understand that if you can't break the curse, it won't be forever, but I want to stay. I don't want to give up."

Han takes Minseok's hands, and it's so hard to argue when he wants this too. "All right," he says.

Han beams at him, so happy Minseok can't help smiling too. He ducks in for a quick kiss, then pulls Minseok into a hug. "Don't give up," he says.

Baekhyun and Jongdae, like Han, still have hope that the curse could be broken. Minseok has struggled to hold onto hope himself, but for a moment, at least, wrapped up in Han's arms, he dreams of a future where they can stay themselves, and all four of them can be happy.

 

***

 

On the surface, nothing changes much after Han finds out the whole truth about the curse. He laughs with Baekhyun and Jongdae, talks with Minseok while he helps out around the house, and kisses Minseok like there's nothing in the world to be afraid of. If there is any difference in the way he behaves, it's not deliberate, and the only difference he can see with the others is that they no longer hold anything back from him.

At the same time, Han's new understanding of the situation makes everything feel different. He doesn't think about it all the time, but too often, he catches himself watching Minseok, trying to analyze his behavior and see what changes the curse has caused. He finds himself thinking a lot more about the future too. How long until Baekhyun and Jongdae change too much to continue living normally as humans? When will Minseok change in a significant way, and how will it happen? Will they find a way to break the curse before it gets to the point that Han has to leave? He doesn't want to think about what that point would be.

"Has Minseok changed a lot since the curse?" Han asks Jongdae after two days. He volunteered to help Jongdae gather firewood for a change, in part because he wanted to, but also because he wanted to ask about this without Minseok around. "I didn't know him before, so it's hard for me to say if anything's changed."

Jongdae considers before answering. "He used to laugh with us more. Now it's a challenge to get him to smile. He was more positive too, in a lot of ways. He was never as talkative as me and Baekhyun, but he was...happy, before."

"Is that because of the curse?" Han tries to imagine Minseok like that, laughing freely, without a care in the world. He's seen Minseok smile, seen hints of the happier person he used to be, but from the moment Han met him, there was already something dark and sad lurking beneath the surface.

"Some of it, maybe." Jongdae frowns, sadness creeping into his eyes. "It hit all three of us hard, finding out about the curse. We'd always been good to the people around us. The idea that someone would want to hurt us, and dealing with what that meant... It was difficult, but I think it was the worst for Minseok. It wasn't his fault any more than it was mine or Baekhyun's, but he felt responsible because it had to do with his parents. Even before the curse had any effect, he was sadder because of that."

It makes Han sad too, thinking about what's been lost. The curse could still be broken, but that loss of innocence can't be reversed. For himself too, whatever the future brings, there's no taking back the effect his brother's betrayal has had on him. "I'm sorry," he says, wishing words could change the situation.

Jongdae smiles, though it still looks sad. "You don't need to be sorry." Then he sighs, softly. "But if you want to know whether the curse itself has changed Minseok...there have been changes. He smiles less than he did early on, and his temper is shorter. It's hard to say, though. I think he holds himself back from showing those parts. It's not like this, where there's no hiding it." He gestures at his head, covered in fur.

Han nods. He doesn't know what to think of the fact that even Jongdae, who knows Minseok much better than him, can't tell what the curse has done to him. If Jongdae can't see it and Minseok himself doesn't feel many clear changes, does that mean that not much has changed or only that the changes are still buried under what's left of Minseok's real personality?

"Does it scare you?" Jongdae asks. He looks at Han curiously, without judgment.

"A little," Han admits. In spite of his confident words to Minseok, he can't help worrying. "Not the way he is now, but not being able to predict what will happen."

Jongdae looks down for a moment, then up, sadness in his eyes again. "It scares me too. I don't want to lose my friend to this curse, on top of losing my old life. I don't know what he'll become. Even he doesn't know." He pauses, taking his time picking up a few fallen twigs. "We're in this together, the three of us, but you don't have to be."

"I want to be here," Han counters immediately. "I want to be with all of you. With Minseok."

Jongdae's smile returns with only a hint of sadness. "Good. I want us to be as happy as we can be for as long as we can be, and being with you makes Minseok happier."

Han smiles back; in spite of everything, hearing that makes him happy too.

"I don't know what will happen in the future," Jongdae continues, "and I worry, but I'll never give up hope, and I hope you won't either. Curses can always be broken."

"Of course," Han agrees. "There's always hope."

 

They arrive home to Minseok sitting on the bed and Baekhyun standing in front of him, talking with a lot of hand gestures. Han goes to sit next to Minseok, who unexpectedly wraps a possessive arm around his waist and gives him a kiss. "About time you got back," he says, interrupting Baekhyun mid-sentence.

"Worried he was out there flirting with Jongdae?" Baekhyun teases.

Something flickers in Minseok's eyes, then disappears before Han can identify it. He drops his arm, resting his hand on the bed next to Han. "I just wanted someone else to be here so you'd stop talking to me," he tells Baekhyun, who laughs, knowing he's not serious.

Baekhyun goes out to chop the wood they brought back, and Jongdae goes to keep him company, which really means to give Minseok and Han a moment to themselves. It's only a moment this time, but Han is glad to have some privacy to kiss Minseok more deeply. Not knowing what will happen or how much longer he'll have with Minseok makes him want to enjoy every moment that much more.

"So you know, I wasn't flirting with Jongdae," Han jokes when they break apart briefly. He says it in a low voice, his breath still mingling with Minseok's.

Minseok doesn't laugh. "Good. You're mine."

His words surprise Han, and they send a thrill through him. It's not until he sees a flash of uncertainty on Minseok's face that he wonders if it's really Minseok talking or if this possessiveness is a part of the curse. He wishes, guiltily, that he didn't know better, so he could just take it at face value. 

He pretends not to notice, giving Minseok another kiss. "If you want," he murmurs against Minseok's lips. It gives him another thrill, in spite of everything, to realize that he means it.


	4. Chapter 4

The recent stretch of good weather comes to an end with another snowstorm. The temperature plummets, but Minseok's mood stays surprisingly good. He stays warm inside with Baekhyun, Jongdae and Han, sitting by the fire as the snow piles up outside. Han is more than happy to take the excuse to pull Minseok into his lap and hold him tight, and Minseok leans against his chest and relaxes.

"You two are so cute," Jongdae comments.

"It's really disgusting," Baekhyun adds, laughing. 

"No one's forcing you to watch." Though Minseok has been more serious lately, it's still easy to banter with his best friends.

"Do you see that?" Baekhyun asks Jongdae, mock outraged. "He's trying to send us out into the snow to freeze to death."

"I never said I had a problem seeing them like this," Jongdae counters. "Speak for yourself."

Baekhyun adopts a wounded expression, and Han laughs loudly. "You're funny," he says. "All of you."

It's nice to smile, to joke with his friends and to feel secure in Han's arms. It's nice to feel like himself and not think, for a moment, about what the curse has done to him, and what it will still do. If only this could last, life would be very nice indeed.

The snow stops by midafternoon, and Jongdae and Baekhyun venture out to clear the area around the cabin, waving off Han's offer to help. "Stay," Baekhyun tells him. "Keep Minseok warm."

Han laughs at that. "Do you need me to keep you warm?" He's spent the better part of the day attached to Minseok, moving around occasionally but always coming back to a position similar to the one they're in now, with Minseok in Han's lap.

Minseok turns around, and Han gives him a kiss. "You've been doing a very good job of that, but now it's time to think about dinner."

They have no meat today, given the snow, but they have enough vegetables to put together a soup. Minseok puts Han to work chopping potatoes, noting how quickly and neatly he does it compared to the first time. It's still strange, when he thinks about it, that a prince is helping him prepare a meager soup in a small cabin in the countryside, but he's grown so accustomed to Han's presence that he doesn't think much about who he really is.

There must be a lot of snow piled up, because Baekhyun and Jongdae are still outside once all the vegetables are in the pot. With nothing else to occupy himself with, Han plasters himself to Minseok's back. "I have to clean up," Minseok tells him.

"Do you?" Han drops a kiss on the side of Minseok's neck, and another behind his ear. 

It would probably be more convincing if Minseok was making any move to get away, but instead he tips his head to give Han easier access. "I do," he says weakly as Han's lips brush his jaw.

"Hm." Han makes it to his mouth and Minseok gives in and kisses back. It gets heated for a moment before Han pulls away, turning his attention back to Minseok's neck. "I don't suppose we have much time left before Baekhyun and Jongdae come back," he murmurs. One of his hands drifts down and toys with Minseok's shirt over his stomach, giving an impression of what he'd do if they did have time.

"Not today, I'm afraid." Reluctantly, Minseok pulls out of Han's hold before they get carried away. "Here." He hands Han a wooden spoon. "Go mix the soup while I clean up."

Han gives him a pout that says, _I know what you're doing_ , but obediently does as he's told, kneeling in front of the fire. It's just as well because a moment later, the door opens. A sudden loud growling noise fills the cabin and Minseok jumps, reflexively grabbing a knife still sitting on the table. He looks over at the doorway and registers a wolf head, but then he notices that it's attached to a human body. Shortly after that, he catches Jongdae standing just outside, and he realizes what he's looking at: Baekhyun, changed again.

Han doesn't realize as quickly. He's on his feet, comically brandishing the spoon at Baekhyun. "Get away!" he yelps.

Jongdae bursts out laughing at that, and so does Baekhyun. To Minseok's relief, his laugh sounds exactly the same, despite his appearance. Looking more closely, he realizes that he's not really seeing a wolf head but Baekhyun's human head covered in fur, with the wolf ears on top but his eyes and nose and mouth all still human. It's still a shocking change, but less so than he originally thought.

Han stops, perplexed, the spoon held high. Baekhyun and Jongdae keep laughing until he asks hesitantly, "Baekhyun?"

That only makes them stop for a second before they resume laughing even harder. "Your face," Jongdae says.

"I'm surprised you didn't shriek this time," Baekhyun adds.

"Did you think you could take down a wild animal with a wooden spoon?" Jongdae comes over and plucks it out of Han's hand. 

Han pouts at him. "You're not very nice. Why did you have to come in and growl like that?"

"I'm sorry," Baekhyun says, not sounding sorry at all. "I couldn't resist." He looks over at Minseok. "Did we scare you too?"

Minseok already put down the knife, but he picks it up again and holds it up for Baekhyun to see. "You're lucky I realized it was you. I could've done a lot more damage."

Baekhyun grimaces, Minseok thinks, though the fur somewhat obscures his expression. "Please ask questions before stabbing wild animals, considering who you live with."

"Please think before bursting into the house and growling at your friends," Minseok retorts.

 

Baekhyun takes the change with good cheer, but Minseok notices that Jongdae seems more subdued than usual that evening, a little tense. It's easy to guess why: he's waiting for the next big change to his own body. Minseok hasn't been thinking like that, because he hasn't experienced such clear changes, but he wonders if something has happened inside of him too, or if it's coming soon.

Nothing has happened by the time they get into bed that night, but Minseok wakes up the next morning to a vague noise of protest from Baekhyun. "What?" he asks sleepily.

"Jongdae," Baekhyun grunts by way of unhelpful answer

Minseok opens his eyes and finds Jongdae up on his knees at the foot of the bed. He can't see spot any obvious differences, but Jongdae grimaces. "Good, you're awake. Are you up for cutting another tail hole?"

Looking down, Minseok spots the awkward bulge of a tail. "Of course."

It's easier the second time around, and also because Jongdae whines a little less than Baekhyun did. Once Minseok is finished, Jongdae gets dressed, with the fluffy orange-brown tail sticking out of his pants. As with Baekhyun, the effect is kind of cute, at least as long as Minseok doesn't think about it too hard. "Look, we match." Baekhyun comes to stand next to Jongdae, and they wag their tails in sync, making Han laugh.

As they continue messing around, Minseok's thoughts turn back to himself. Has anything changed overnight? What amount of change in a human personality is equivalent to a new tail or a head covered in fur? He can't find anything new in himself, but the thought that there might be something makes it hard to laugh with his friends like he did yesterday.

Han has no such qualms, laughing at Baekhyun and Jongdae's antics, and petting their tails despite their unconvincing objections. There's no reason he shouldn't be doing that, but suddenly Minseok finds himself saying, "Stop it." It's not loud, and not really angry, but sharp enough to draw the others' attention.

"Stop what?" Baekhyun asks.

"Stop touching them." He looks at Han, clarifying that he's the only one Minseok is talking to.

"Why should I...?" Han sounds confused.

Minseok is confused too, even as he takes the few steps over to cut between Baekhyun and Jongdae and grab Han's hand, tugging him away from the other two. Everyone is staring at him now, and understanding starts to percolate through Minseok's brain. He drops Han's hand and jumps away like he's been burned. 

"I'm sorry." He feels embarrassed and upset, but he also still feels that jealousy that made him want to get Han away from his friends in the first place. He's angry with himself for not recognizing it for what it is, a part of the curse, and for not being able to stop himself before he acted on the feeling.

"It's all right." Han tries to take his hand, but Minseok pulls away, guilt twisting in his stomach.

"Why don't we give you a minute?" Jongdae says gently. "I'm sure there's some wood to chop or...something." He flashes Minseok a sympathetic smile on his way to the door, where he grabs his coat before he and Baekhyun head outside.

"Is this..." Han frowns and chews his lower lip. "Is this something new? Like Baekhyun's head and Jongdae's tail?"

"Not new," Minseok reluctantly admits. He's had possessive feelings toward Han since even before anything happened between them. It's only that they've gotten more intense, and harder to ignore. "It is worse, though. I'm sorry."

Han goes for his hand again, and this time Minseok lets him hold it. "Forget about it. There's no harm done, right? I can handle a little snapping here and there. Baekhyun and Jongdae too. And I don't mind, to tell the truth, if you get a little jealous." Minseok still feels guilty, but Han is perfectly sincere, as if it genuinely doesn't bother him. He takes Minseok's other hand, lacing their fingers together. "All right?"

It's uncomfortable, feeling like this and not trusting himself to be able to fight it, but Minseok tries to shrug it off, to pretend that nothing important has changed like they're doing with the latest changes to Baekhyun and Jongdae's bodies. Maybe it's best that way, to pretend that everything is normal for as long as they can. "All right." Han smiles and gives him a kiss, and for now, at least, Minseok lets himself forget.

 

***

 

There's still some snow lingering on the ground, but Minseok hasn't gone into the village for a while, so he suggests, with obvious reluctance, that it's time to go again. "I could come with you," Han offers. He hasn't really minded being out here in the woods, considering the good company, but it would be nice to see more people and new scenery for a change. He's a little wary, all things considered, but it's highly unlikely that anyone in a little village at the edge of the kingdom would recognize him.

"Are you up for it?" Minseok asks.

"I can walk a lot without getting tired now," Han points out. "Is it far?"

Minseok shrugs. "Not too far."

"Why don't you go, and if you need to, you can rest while Minseok runs his errands?" Jongdae suggests.

Han looks to Minseok for approval, and he says, "All right. Let's get ready and go, then."

Han borrows Baekhyun's coat, not because there's anything wrong with his but so he won't stand out in his nicer clothes. He takes a hat from Jongdae, settling it over hair that's gotten longer than it ever did in the palace. "How do I look?" he asks.

"You make a good peasant," Baekhyun says with a laugh.

Minseok doesn't comment, to Han's disappointment, but he smiles before he takes Han's arm and pulls him toward the door. "Come on, let's go."

They walk relatively quickly, Minseok in a hurry to get out of the cold, but not so quickly that they can't talk. "Do you miss it?" Han asks.

"The village? I suppose. I miss some people there, anyway, and..." Whatever else it is that he misses, Minseok lets it go unsaid. "Growing up, I thought about getting away. I didn't want adventure like Baekhyun, but in a small place, everyone knows your business, and it was too much for me sometimes. But now that I've been away, I appreciate it more. It's nice to have so many people who care about you."

"That does sound nice," Han agrees. He's also always had many people to care about him, but not in the way Minseok is talking about. Subjects are obligated to care about the welfare of a prince, but not about him, personally. "Your parents are still there, right? Do you go see them sometimes?"

"I haven't. Considering the weather, I've avoided going into town any more than I have to."

"Maybe once the weather warms up." It occurs to Han only after he finishes speaking that there's no telling what Minseok will be like by the time spring comes, no telling if he'll even want to see his parents then. He forces a smile, pushing those thoughts aside. He doesn't want to think about that and be sad.

Han's first impression of the village once they arrive is that it's small. It's a _village_ , of course, not a city, but he didn't realize quite what that meant. "Is this it?" he asks.

Minseok laughs. "Did you think we were exaggerating when we called it a village?"

"I pictured somewhere small, but not this small," Han says sheepishly. "I've never been to a town like this."

"And I've never been anywhere else, aside from a few nearby towns that are barely any bigger." Minseok smiles. "I can't even imagine what the capital is like."

Han imagines how amazed Minseok would be by the city he grew up in. It would be nice to show him around, but if Minseok ever does go there, it won't be with Han. He won't ever go home again. "Well, show me around," he says, pushing away the threat of sadness again. "There must be something to see here, even if it's small."

"Our exciting market is this way." Minseok gestures between the small cluster of houses in front of them. The market is, much like the village itself, small, but bustling. "There's not much else to do, so everyone comes here," Minseok explains. 

The woman at the first stall they stop at greets Minseok enthusiastically. "It's good to see you. And who's your friend?" 

The attention makes Han nervous, but he reminds himself that even if the townspeople have heard rumors about his exile, there's no reason for them to connect that to him, at least not without his name. Minseok probably knows better than to introduce Han by his real name, but just in case, he jumps in. "My name is Yixing."

"It's nice to meet you, Yixing. What brings you to our village?"

"He's a traveler," Minseok says vaguely, with a sweet smile to hide the lie. "He's been staying with us."

"Oh, how nice," the woman says, seemingly convinced. "So, what can I get for you today?"

Only after they've left the stall does Minseok ask Han in a low voice, "Yixing?"

"My manservant," Han explains. "I doubt any rumors about him have made it to this village."

Minseok laughs. "No, I imagine not. Yixing it is, then."

Han is introduced to four more people at various stalls and six people who stop Minseok to say hello. Minseok greets everyone kindly and smiles at them, and they smile and laugh and sometimes hug him like old friends. Minseok looks a little embarrassed sometimes, but comfortable and happy, and Han finds himself wondering if this is what he was like before the curse. This is what the man who placed the curse wanted him to lose, in any case, being good to the people around him.

They've finished their shopping and are nearing the edge of the market when a woman's voice calls, "Minseok?"

Minseok stops walking so abruptly that it makes Han instantly worried. He turns to see a perfectly ordinary-looking couple hurrying toward them. Confused, he looks at Minseok, whose smile has gone stiff. "Hello, mother," he says. "Father."

Han tries not to look too surprised as he turns back to Minseok's parents. Now that he knows, he can see the resemblance in their faces, and also in the way they smile. Unlike Minseok, there's no hesitation in their smiles. His mother squeezes him in a tight hug as if she hasn't seen him in years. "It's been so long. I was starting to think you'd frozen to death out there in the woods. Why haven't you come to see us?"

"I'm sorry." Minseok's smile is back to normal, but Han thinks he still looks a little tense. "You know I don't like to go out when it's so cold." Han tries not to give away that he's surprised by the comment, considering that Minseok has been into town at least one other time this winter.

"Some things never change." Minseok's father turns to Han. "I'm sorry, I don't think we've met."

"This is Yixing," Minseok says. "He's a friend who's been staying with us." To Han, he says, "These are my parents."

"It's nice to meet you," Minseok's mother says. "Why don't you two stay for dinner tonight? We haven't seen you in such a long time, Minseok, and of course we'd love to get to know your friend."

"We have to get back before dark," Minseok hedges. "Jongdae and Baekhyun won't be happy if I make them wait for food."

"Oh, those boys." The face Minseok's mother makes to go with her comment is also a lot like Minseok. "At least come have some tea and warm up before you leave. There's time for that, surely."

"All right." 

Minseok and Han wait around the corner while Minseok's parents quickly do their shopping. Han looks around to make sure no one is listening and then asks, "What's wrong? Don't you like seeing your parents?"

Minseok's guilty expression says Han was right to think something was going on. "They don't know," Minseok says quietly. "About the curse."

Suddenly Minseok's uneasiness and the fact that he hasn't seen his parents make a lot more sense. "You don't want them to know?" Han asks.

Minseok shakes his head. "They don't understand why we left town, and I wish I could tell them, but if they knew...they'd never forgive themselves."

Han remembers Jongdae saying that Minseok feels responsible for the curse, and here he is trying to protect his parents from feeling that same guilt. He really is a good person, and that's what makes the curse so terrible. "I'm sorry," Han says.

Minseok looks at him, confused. "For what?"

"I'm just sorry." Han puts an arm around Minseok and gives him a comforting squeeze. That's all he can do, really.

"Thank you," Minseok says quietly.

 

***

 

For Minseok, having tea with his parents is difficult. The tea warms him from the chill outside, and the bread his mother serves is delicious, but it's difficult for Minseok to be here, in his home, with his parents. (He's gotten comfortable living in the cabin, but life there still feels temporary, while this is home.) It's difficult to smile at them like nothing has changed, to not feel guilty for avoiding them and for lying to them, and to not feel sad for what he's lost. 

It's difficult, also, to not be angry with them. He's read the letter about the curse a hundred times, and while the man wanted to blame his parents, Minseok understands that they didn't do anything wrong. Their only crime was being too nice, and perhaps not loving a man who didn't deserve it. It's not their fault, but there's still a part of Minseok that blames them. He suspects it's the curse making him feel that way, but knowing that doesn't help him not feel it.

He's worried about Han being able to carry on a conversation without giving too much about himself away, but it only takes a few clumsy efforts to dodge questions about his background for Minseok's parents to tactfully stop asking. Instead, they ask about life at the cabin, and Han is happy to talk about Baekhyun and Jongdae's antics.

"You're very quiet, Minseok," his father says after a while. "Is everything all right?"

"Of course." Minseok smiles as convincingly as he can manage. He doesn't want his parents to worry about him.

"Have you thought about coming back home?" his mother asks. It seems like an abrupt change of subject, but Minseok thinks that's her way of saying that she doesn't buy the lie. "If not here, then at least to the village. You boys must be lonely out there. Baekhyun especially; he always hated quiet."

She's right, of course. Especially now that he can't go into town, Baekhyun must be dying for more company, but it's not possible, looking the way he does. It would be possible for Minseok, but a bad idea, and unfair to his friends. "It's good for him," Minseok says, trying to laugh it off. "He should learn to appreciate peace and quiet sometimes."

"That's true." His mother eyes him with that concerned mother look that somehow makes him feel guilty. "We just want you to be happy, you know. It's all right if you're happy there, but if you're not, come home. And don't wait too long. You're getting old enough to think about settling down, getting married, starting a family."

Han doesn't do anything as dramatic as choke on his tea at Minseok's mother's words, but his eyes go wide and he stares at Minseok for a few seconds before he catches himself and looks away, his cheeks turning pink. It makes Minseok want to laugh and also wince, and it makes him feel strange that the thought of him getting married is shocking to Han. He doesn't know if it's a good strange or a bad strange, but it hardly matters; as long as the curse continues, he won't be marrying anyone. ( _What if that's the way to break the curse?_ he momentarily wonders, but if that's so, they're doomed.)

"I know, mother," he says, playing it cool. "But there's time for that still. I'm all right, I promise. Don't worry about me."

As soon as their tea is finished, Minseok says, "We should be getting back before Baekhyun and Jongdae worry about us."

Han joins him in getting to his feet. "It was nice meeting you."

They part ways with hugs and promises to see each other again soon, and Minseok ignores the guilt that goes along with those lies. If the curse isn't broken, it'll be better for him not to see them.

Han is quiet at first as they head out of town. He keeps looking over at Minseok like he wants to say something, but then he thinks better of it. Minseok, for his part, has too many thoughts weighing on his mind to try to make conversation. The houses at the edge of the village are long since out of sight when Han finally says, "Your parents are very nice. I'm not surprised, knowing you."

"Look what being nice got them," Minseok mutters. Seeing his parents has brought out a lot of feelings he's been trying not to dwell on, and he's frustrated. His parents are good people. Minseok and Jongdae and Baekhyun, they've all tried to be good people, and this is how the world has repaid them. Han, too, is kind and caring, and he was betrayed by his brother and cast away by the people who should have believed in him. What's the use in being good if bad people win?

"You can't think like that," Han says. "It got them a happy relationship and a good son, didn't it?"

"And a curse that's taking their son away from them." He stops walking and looks at Han, whose frowning expression makes him look a lot like a kicked puppy. "Doesn't it make you angry?"

"What?" Han asks.

"You never did anything wrong, but your brother did. Now he's the one in the palace, still next in line for the throne, and you're out here with a couple of cursed freaks and no future." It's harsh, and Minseok feels guilty even as he says it, but nothing he's saying isn't true.

The hurt is plain on Han's face, but anger too. He seems about to snap at Minseok, but then he catches himself and stops. When he does speak, his voice is even. "I hate it. I loved my brother, and he turned on me. I trusted my parents, and they didn't believe me. Of course it hurts, but I don't want to be angry. It doesn't help anything to be angry. And you know, I'm still here, and so I do still have a future. Maybe before this is over, justice will be served, for both of us. For all of us." 

Minseok doesn't know what to say to that. He wants to yell, and he wants to cry, and he wants to believe that Han is right. He wants to hold onto hope that everything can still turn out all right somehow. He doesn't do any of that, only takes Han's hand and gives it a squeeze before he starts to walk again. "I hope you're right."

 

***

 

The next morning is cool enough that Han is in no rush to get out of bed, but the sun is shining and by mid-morning, it's warm and pleasant outside.

"Oh, look, it's a nice day," Jongdae declares, his feigned casualness ruined by his unnecessarily loud voice. "Why don't we go spend a few hours outside, Baekhyun?"

"That sounds great!" Baekhyun grins widely, not even pretending to be subtle. "I would love to spend a few hours outside, away from the house!"

Minseok rolls his eyes even as he smiles. "Get out of here, then." After Baekhyun and Jongdae leave, Minseok turns to Han, "So it seems my friends have decided we get some time to ourselves. What shall we do with it?" Han leers at Minseok, no more subtle than Baekhyun was, and Minseok chuckles. "That's what I thought. Come here."

They kiss with abandon, knowing they won't be interrupted, and lose their clothes piece by piece before they fall on the bed together. Things were simpler the first time around, when Han didn't know about Minseok's part of the curse yet, but it's easy enough to forget about that with Minseok's mouth on his, Minseok's hands roaming his body. The world may be a dark and difficult place sometimes, but right now, all that matters is the two of them, together like this.

They don't rush, taking their time exploring each other's bodies. Spending the winter mostly indoors has left Minseok's body soft, and in combination with his childish face, he looks cute, almost delicate. There's nothing cute about his actions, though, from his low moans to the unhesitating way he touches Han. Han appreciates the way Minseok looks and the way he acts and just _Minseok_ , really. In spite of all the complications, he feels very lucky to be here in this moment with Minseok. He hopes that Minseok is happy too, being here with him.

He seems happy, watching Han with hunger in his eyes but an unconscious smile on his lips as his fingers dip into Han's body, making him shiver and shake. He doesn't say anything, but he presses a kiss to Han's knee, his thigh, then goes back to watching him. His smile curls into a smirk as Han turns more desperate, but not a cruel one, only smug at what he's doing to Han. He carries on until Han whines, "Minseok," earning a broad smile.

"All right, all right. What do you want?" Minseok asks, his voice going soft on the question. He eyes Han coolly, waiting for him to decide what comes next. Han isn't hard to please, and he doesn't want Minseok to defer to him because he's a prince, but it doesn't feel like that. It's only Minseok wanting to make him feel good.

After a moment's consideration, Han crawls into Minseok's lap. Minseok watches with dark eyes as Han settles onto him, drawing in a quiet breath when he goes still and a sharper one when he starts to move. Minseok lets Han set the pace this time, only touching him in slow strokes and watching him steadily. Han wonders what he's thinking, but he's too absorbed in the sensation to think about that for long. It doesn't matter, only that it feels good, that they both feel good.

Han's release finds him first, and he closes his eyes as it shudders through him. He opens his eyes again in time to watch Minseok lean back on his hands, flushed and strained. "Han," he breathes, a plea, and Han responds by rocking up and down a few more times. Minseok's eyes catch his and hold so that Han doesn't see anything else, only feels his hips jerk upward and hears him moan softly as he lets go. Minseok's eyes are half-lidded and intense in a way that has nothing to do with the curse, a way that makes Han never want to look away.

Then, Minseok smiles lazily, and Han bends forward to kiss him. In a way, that's even better. They separate and curl up in bed together in comfortable silence, until Han says, on impulse, "Thank you."

Minseok gives him a strange look. "For what?"

"That day that Baekhyun found me in the woods...I'd given up." Han looks at his hand where it's resting on Minseok's hip and taps his fingers, focusing on that so he doesn't get self-conscious about what he's saying. "I was so far away from home, and I was scared, and I was so miserable, after everything that had happened. You asked me if I'm angry, but I wasn't then. I was just sad. I thought there was no point in fighting, and so I gave up. But you saved my life."

"That wasn't me," Minseok says.

"You were a part of it," Han insists. "And being with you has made me feel better about being alive."

"Han..." There's a chiding tone to Minseok's voice, telling him he shouldn't feel that way.

"I'm not saying I can't live without you. I'm saying that you've made me happy, and you've helped me see that life goes on. You've helped me see that I can continue on. What I said before about me having a future: I feel that way because of you."

"And what about when we're gone?" Minseok asks quietly.

"I'm not giving up hope yet." Han stops tapping his fingers and wraps his arm firmly around Minseok, as if by doing that, he can hold him here, as himself. "But if we can't stop the curse...life will go on." He hates to think of the possibility, but he does believe that, and he thinks Minseok needs to hear it. He looks up, and he can see heavy sadness in Minseok's eyes, but he deliberately smiles widely. "That's why I said thank you. Because no matter what, you've given me a lot."

Now Minseok looks away. He's quiet for a while, but then he says, "You know, when I got that letter about the curse, I couldn't believe it was real. None of us could. We told ourselves it must be a joke. Then Baekhyun got a patch of fur on his stomach, and he ran over to my house to tell me. I remember staring at it and feeling...feeling hopeless, because that meant it was really happening. Baekhyun and Jongdae dragged me to a sorcerer and two witches looking for a way to break the curse, so sure we'd find a way, but I'd already resigned myself to it."

Minseok's words don't surprise Han, but they do make him sad. He wishes he could give some of the hope he still has to Minseok, and he's sure Baekhyun and Jongdae feel the same. If only hope worked that way.

"When we moved out here," Minseok continues, "it felt like the end to me. I didn't think about it that way, but I was acting like my life was over and I was just waiting for it to happen. But...when things were just starting between you and me, I had a talk with Baekhyun. He told me that for as long as I could, at least, I shouldn't let the curse stop me from living. So I guess you helped me realize that too, that life goes on, for now. It's hard, but it goes on."

"I'm glad." Han gives Minseok a kiss and thinks about how much he cares for him already, how much he doesn't want to see him hurt. He desperately hopes that they can find a way to break the curse before it takes everything from Minseok and his friends. The thought of that is looming over them, never quite out of mind, but all he can do for Minseok—for all of them—is hope.

 

***

 

The good weather holds for a solid week, and Minseok starts to think that maybe spring is coming. In spite of his worries for the future, the thought makes him happy. He'd love to show Han the woods and the surrounding area in the spring, green and flowering. It's been a difficult winter, and there's no reason to believe that spring will be better, but it feels hopeful all the same. For Minseok, hope has been hard to come by lately, so he'll take every little shred he can find.

Unfortunately, spring is always slow to come in this part of the kingdom, and the temperature plummets again. Minseok wakes up abruptly, cold and confused, to the sound of Baekhyun cursing. It takes a moment for comprehension to sink in and then he quickly sits up to see what's happening; if Baekhyun's reacting like this, it must be bad. Sure enough, he sees Baekhyun cradling his left hand in his right—except that it's not a hand but a paw, eerily attached to his human wrist.

"Oh," Jongdae says in a small voice when he realizes what's happened. "That's..." He sounds as upset as Baekhyun looks, and Minseok can understand why. Up until now, the changes have been largely cosmetic, not insignificant, but not interfering with their ability to function as humans either. Losing a hand means that they can no longer carry on as usual, and it likely means that more big changes are on the way.

Han is the last one to sit up, and he looks pityingly at Baekhyun, then at Jongdae, and last at Minseok, his gaze lingering. It's obvious what he's thinking, and Minseok doesn't want to think it himself, to look inside and try to see whether anything has changed. Would he be able to see if something had?

Baekhyun has gone quiet, but he still looks sad for a moment until he forces a smile and waves his paw at Jongdae. "I hope you're ready to do all the wood chopping now!" he chirps. He's not fooling anyone with this false bravado, but they let him pretend.

"Hey, I'm not the only other person living here," Jongdae protests. He looks at Minseok and then at Han. "You can help me, can't you?" he wheedles.

Minseok raises a skeptical eyebrow (although in truth, he'll do what needs to be done), but Han says, "Of course!"

"Do you even know how to chop wood?" Baekhyun teases. "That doesn't seem like a very princely thing to do."

"Well, no, but I can figure it out."

"This isn't like cooking," Jongdae says. "It's a lot easier to cut off something important."

Han pouts at that, and they all laugh at him. "Speaking of cooking," Minseok says, "time to get up."

Baekhyun stays around for breakfast, but afterward, he says, "I'm going for a walk." It's clear but cold outside, not at all nice weather for a walk, but nobody says so. Jongdae seems about to volunteer to go with him, but then he catches Baekhyun's eye and says nothing. Even Baekhyun needs to be alone sometimes.

The morning passes peacefully despite the worries weighing on all of them, and only when it's past noon does Han say, "Baekhyun's been gone a long time, hasn't he? It's too cold to stay out so long."

"I'm sure he's fine," Minseok says. Baekhyun knows these woods, and knows how to take care of himself. 

"If he doesn't come back soon, I'll go look," Jongdae says. "I need to check the traps anyway."

They let the matter drop, but not ten minutes later, they're all startled by a voice yelling, "Open the door!" The voice sounds familiar, but it takes a moment for Minseok to remember where he heard it before: it's Kyungsoo. What is the sorcerer doing here?

Jongdae hurries to the door, and when he opens it, Minseok's heart sinks at what he sees: Kyungsoo is struggling to carry a familiar figure with a wolfish head. "What happened?" Jongdae asks, shocked. He takes Baekhyun out of Kyungsoo's arms, and Minseok hears a groan of pain. That's hardly a good thing, but at least it tells him that Baekhyun is still alive.

"He was attacked by wolves," Kyungsoo explains. "I was able to scare them off before they did worse."

Jongdae is walking toward the bed, but Baekhyun is bleeding badly and Minseok grimaces at the thought of the mess he'll make of their only bed. "Put him on the floor," he says. "He's going to bleed everywhere."

Jongdae freezes, and Han turns to stare, annoying Minseok. What are they waiting for, when Baekhyun is hurt? After a moment, Jongdae turns and carefully sets Baekhyun down in front of the fire, but Han keeps staring. Only then does Minseok realize, horrified, what he said. One of his best friends in the world is badly hurt, and he was concerned about the mess? The thought makes him sick, makes him want to run away and never come back, but that would be cowardly. Instead, he runs to Baekhyun's side, kneeling beside him. 

"We have to stop the bleeding. Can you do anything?" Jongdae asks Kyungsoo.

"I'm a sorcerer, not a doctor," Kyungsoo answers. "This isn't magical." He seemed so confident when he healed Han, but now he's clearly out of his depth, looking small and unsure with Baekhyun's blood all over his clothes.

"Shouldn't we call a doctor?" Han is still standing, hovering uncertainly.

"How can we when he looks like this?" Jongdae says, sounding panicked.

Everyone else seems lost, so it's up to Minseok to be the calm one, despite what just happened. "Jongdae, put pressure on his leg there. Han, grab me a sheet so we can bandage him up. We should clean these wounds too."

Minseok pushes everything else out of his mind and focuses on the task at hand, cleaning and bandaging Baekhyun's injuries. It's a relief to see that many of them are superficial, looking far less frightening once the blood is washed away. Baekhyun is uncharacteristically quiet, visibly pained, but he's conscious and clear-eyed. The only serious injury is where one of the wolves ripped open the back of his leg, which won't stop bleeding despite their best efforts. Minseok is getting worried when Kyungsoo says, "I think I can help with that. Let me see."

Jongdae moves his bloodstained hands away, and Kyungsoo studies the wound for a moment before placing his hand over it. To Baekhyun, he says, "I'm sorry. This will hurt." Baekhyun gives a small nod and sets his teeth, but that's not enough to keep him from screaming in pain at whatever Kyungsoo does. Minseok can't see anything, but he smells burning flesh, and when Kyungsoo moves his hand away, he can see that the wound has been cauterized.

"Are you all right?" Minseok asks. The fur makes it hard to see Baekhyun's expression clearly.

"Been better." Baekhyun's voice is hoarse and weak, but if he's joking, he must be doing better than before.

"Let's get you to bed." Minseok pets Baekhyun's head, which is a bit strange as a comforting gesture, but Baekhyun seems to appreciate it. Minseok and Jongdae help Baekhyun out of what's left of his bloody clothes and then into bed, where he closes his eyes, his chest hitching slightly with pain every time he moves.

While Jongdae talks to Kyungsoo, Minseok starts to clean up. He's glad that Baekhyun is all right, but now that the crisis is over, he can't continue to ignore what happened before. It was one thing to be jealous or impatient, but he must have lost something important to forget to care about a friend. Just as Baekhyun losing his hand means he can no longer function normally, Minseok can no longer pretend that nothing significant has changed. He does still care about Baekhyun, but he can't trust himself to always remember that.

_It's starting. The end is starting._ At this rate, it'll still be some time before they get there, but for the first time, Minseok can see where they'll end up. He can't put it out of his mind, and it's a terrifying thought. _I'm not ready,_ he thinks, but of course, the curse doesn't care.

 

***

 

The worst is over, with Baekhyun bandaged up and resting in bed, but Han still feels overwhelmed. Waking up to Baekhyun with a paw was an unpleasant surprise, but what followed was far worse. Han can't forget how Baekhyun looked, limp and bloody, and he can't forget the way Minseok reacted. Some two weeks have passed since he learned about the curse, but despite some signs, he was able to largely ignore it. Now, the image of Minseok standing there, cold and uncaring, is burned in his mind. The sound of his voice, as if he was talking about someone inconsiderately tracking dirt into the cabin instead of his friend bleeding on the floor, echoes in his ears.

That's not everything. He also saw how Minseok rushed to Baekhyun's side a moment later, how he bandaged every cut, so careful to cause as little pain as possible. He saw the way Minseok looked at Baekhyun, his expression a mix of sympathy and concern and guilt, no coldness left. He knows that the Minseok he cares about is still there, but he also knows that there's more than that inside of Minseok, that the darkness he saw in his dreams is taking root.

It scares Han, and a part of him wishes that he had never come here, or that he had left as soon as he could, before he had time to get attached, and before he saw beneath the surface. Nobody would stop him if he left now, but how can he just abandon Minseok and Jongdae and Baekhyun to their fate? Maybe there's nothing he can do about the curse, but he can be here with them and try to make them smile. He remembers what Minseok said about Han reminding him that life goes on; he can still do that for as long as possible, until either the curse is broken or they're beyond his help. Han doesn't know if staying is a good choice, but in spite of what happened today, it's still his choice.

Lost in his thoughts, Han hardly notices Kyungsoo leaving, and he jumps when Jongdae puts a hand on his shoulder. "How are you doing?" he asks gently.

"I'm fine." Han's not the one who got hurt, or one of the two who lost pieces of themselves today.

"It's all right if you're not." Jongdae's mouth twists into a sad attempt at a smile. "I'm not." Han opens his mouth to say something comforting, though what he could say, he doesn't know, but before he can, Jongdae continues, "You should go talk to Minseok. I think he's hiding outside."

"But..." Han wavers, torn between concern for Jongdae and for Minseok.

Jongdae manages something closer to a smile this time. "I just need a minute. Go."

With a nod, Han heads outside. It's incongruously sunny, but cold, making him wish he'd brought his jacket. Minseok is leaning against the cabin wall, staring off into the distance. He doesn't turn when Han comes out, or even when Han comes to stand next to him. Silence stretches out between them as Han searches for words and comes up empty. Finally, Minseok says, "Now you understand. The curse is real. It's changing me, and I can't stop it."

"It was just one moment," Han protests. "After that, you took care of Baekhyun. You showed how much you care about him. That's who you really are."

"For now." Minseok holds up a hand to forestall Han's protest. "I appreciate that you believe in me," he starts. He's speaking slowly, choosing his words carefully, and Han is afraid to hear what he's going to say. "But unless we break the curse, it doesn't matter who I really am. I'm becoming someone else, and I can't keep waiting until I hurt you. Maybe you're willing to take that risk, but I'm not. If you still want to stay here, you can, but this thing between us needs to stop."

Perhaps Han should have seen that coming, but it's still a shock. He's grown very attached to Minseok in a short time, and even after what he saw today, he's not ready to let Minseok go. He wants to argue, but he can see that Minseok's thought about this, and he can't push him to do something he's not comfortable with. Minseok has enough to deal with without Han being greedy and wanting more than he's willing to give.

But does he still want to be here if he has to keep his distance from Minseok? It'll be a big change, a big loss. Even so, it's not difficult to find his answer. "I would like to stay for now," he says. He'll be Minseok's friend, if that's all he can do, but he won't leave him yet.

"All right." Minseok stifles a sigh. He seems regretful, and a burst of hope flares in Han, but Minseok doesn't waver. "Let's go back inside," he says.

Han heads for the door, eager to go back into the warm cabin, but he pauses before opening it. There's one more thing he needs Minseok to hear. "Minseok?" he says. "I'm not saying this to change your mind, but I want you to know: I'll keep believing in you." It's hard to smile right now, but he thinks he manages it. Minseok doesn't smile back, but he looks grateful underneath the other, more complicated emotions. For now, that's enough.

 

***

 

The atmosphere in the cabin is tense, or at least it feels that way to Minseok. He's relieved when Jongdae announces that he's going to go check their traps and gather some firewood before it gets dark, and significantly more relieved when Han offers to go with him. The last thing he wants now is to be left alone with Han. He's sure that he made the right decision in breaking things off with him, but he feels guilty all the same. No matter what decision he made at this point, it's too late to avoid hurting Han.

He doesn't want to be left alone with Baekhyun either, but he's lying quietly on the bed with his eyes closed. Minseok assumes he's asleep, since Baekhyun is incapable of being quiet for so long without being asleep. In the quiet after Han and Jongdae leave, Minseok putters around, trying to find things to occupy himself with so he won't have to think. It doesn't work, and so he's almost grateful for the interruption when Baekhyun suddenly says, "Minseok." 

His voice is quiet, for Baekhyun, but Minseok still jumps. "I thought you were asleep."

"I tried, but it's not happening. Come keep me company." There's no indication that Baekhyun is upset with him, but Minseok still feels nervous. He doesn't know how much Baekhyun heard, distracted as he was by pain, but if he did hear what Minseok said, surely he must be hurt. Baekhyun is a good friend, and he's been very understanding about the curse, but there must be limits.

Once Minseok joins him on the bed, Baekhyun says, "You missed some fancy sorcery earlier. Kyungsoo put some kind of charm on me and Jongdae so the wolves and other animals won't bother us anymore."

"That's good." Minseok hadn't thought that far ahead yet, but it's a relief to know that they don't need to worry about a another attack. This one was scary, but it could have been far worse.

"I wish I'd known about that sooner, but what can you do? I'm lucky Kyungsoo got to me in time. You should've seen him. You know, those wolves, at first they just seemed curious about me. They surrounded me, but they were sniffing like they were trying to figure me out. I don't know if I smelled wrong or I didn't respond the way a wolf is supposed to, but suddenly they attacked. I thought I was going to die. Then Kyungsoo came swooping in like some brave knight, only without so much as a spoon to threaten the wolves with. He didn't need a weapon, though. He did some kind of fighting spell and the wolves ran off with their tails between their legs, just like that."

"I guess he's more powerful than we realized, if he can fight and heal and who knows what else?" It would be easy to let Baekhyun continue this relatively lighthearted conversation, but Minseok can't stand the suspense anymore. Reluctantly, he asks, "Baekhyun, did you...earlier, when you first came in, did you hear anything?"

A long silence follows his words, which is answer enough. Baekhyun never lets silence like this happen if he can help it. Baekhyun's flat on his back, looking up at the ceiling, and the fur on his face camouflages his expression, so Minseok has no idea what he's thinking. Finally, he says, "I heard someone say something not very nice, but that wasn't my friend. My friend was upset that I was hurt and helped take care of me."

It's a relief to know that Baekhyun isn't angry with him, but his words don't make Minseok feel much better. If only it were as simple as that, but the person who didn't care if Baekhyun lived or died is still a part of him, however small. "I'm sorry," he says weakly.

This time, Baekhyun's answer comes immediately. "You have nothing to apologize for. I said my friend did nothing wrong, and you're my friend."

"I wish I wasn't," Minseok blurts out. Now Baekhyun turns to him, surprised and uncertainly hurt. "If we weren't friends," Minseok explains, "you would never have been cursed."

Baekhyun sighs heavily. "That's not your fault. None of this is your fault, Minseok."

Minseok appreciates the words, but he wishes he could believe them. He did nothing to deserve this, and neither did his parents, but that doesn't change the fact that Baekhyun and Jongdae are only here, suffering, because they're his friends. Baekhyun could have died today, all because he's Minseok's friend.

"Stop." Baekhyun flinches slightly at the effort of raising his voice. "Whatever you're thinking, stop. If I say it's not your fault, listen to me. How can you argue with a pathetic invalid like me?"

Minseok laughs at that despite himself. "You're hardly an invalid. You'll be back to walking around annoying everyone again in a few days."

"Well, for those few days, you have to listen to me. Got it?" Baekhyun sticks out his tongue at Minseok as if they're a couple of children, though it looks unavoidably strange with his current appearance. Even so, it makes Minseok smile.

"Got it," he answers.

Having fur all over his face doesn't stop Baekhyun from looking smug. "I'm glad you understand," he says.

 

The sun is starting to set by the time Jongdae and Han return, but there's firewood to chop and a small rabbit to clean. "Come help me, Minseok," Jongdae says. "Han needs to warm up."

Minseok is pretty sure that's an excuse to get him alone, but he doesn't argue, putting on his jacket and following Jongdae outside. Jongdae already has the axe to chop firewood, so Minseok takes the rabbit and sets to work. He's not at all surprised when, after a single chop, Jongdae says, "Han told me that you broke up."

"Were we together?" Minseok asks, dodging the implied question. It's a stupid thing to say; Minseok went into his thing with Han knowing that it couldn't last, but that didn't stop it from becoming something deeper than a fling. It wouldn't have hurt to break it off otherwise.

Jongdae just gives him a look and doesn't dignify that with a response. "I know you're worried," he says instead, "but...we all know that that wasn't you, any more than this is me." Jongdae gestures toward his fur-covered head. "And there's still a lot of you left. Isn't it too soon to give up?"

Minseok sighs. "I'm not giving up. But I can't...I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if I hurt him." He sighs again. "Maybe it would be better if I just went away, so I wouldn't hurt any of you more than I already have."

"Don't even think about it," Jongdae says sharply. " _I_ won't forgive you if you leave."

"But Jongdae—"

"No." Jongdae's tone leaves no room for argument, especially when he's holding an axe. "When...if it gets close to the end, then I'll understand. But don't leave a moment before you have to. I won't let go unless I have to."

Minseok doesn't know what to say to that. He's happy that he has such good friends and sad that they're in this mess. He's grateful that they believe in him, but he's afraid of where that will lead. He led such a simple life until the curse; all these complications are too much to take, but he can't escape them.

Minseok finishes cleaning the rabbit first, but he waits until Jongdae finishes with the firewood. Jongdae puts down the axe and then, to Minseok's surprise, pulls him into a tight hug. "What was that for?" Minseok asks when Jongdae finally lets him go.

"I have to do this while I still can," Jongdae explains. He holds up his hands, and Minseok thinks unhappily of Baekhyun's new paw, almost forgotten in this disaster of a day. He must look sad because Jongdae catches him in another hug, even tighter this time. When he lets go, he doesn't say anything before heading back inside, but Minseok feels a little better all the same.


	5. Chapter 5

It's a sign of how difficult the previous day was that no one bats an eye when Jongdae wakes up the next morning with a fox nose. It looks bizarre because he doesn't have a snout, only a fox nose flat on his otherwise human face, but it doesn't seem worth getting excited about after everything. Jongdae frowns a little, pokes at his nose and the area around it, sniffs curiously, then shrugs and gets up without comment.

"Can you smell better now?" Han asks him later. He is interested in knowing, but he's also sticking close to Jongdae and Baekhyun so he doesn't have to be alone with Minseok. That's not hard since Baekhyun is bored sitting around and has been happy to talk Han's ear off all day, but he's taking a nap now, worn out from pain and blood loss. 

"I can," Jongdae says, "but it's strange. There are so many more smells mixed together than I'm used to. It makes it hard to tell what they are or where they're coming from. Maybe my human mind can't understand fox senses."

"Maybe you just need time to adjust," Han says. 

"Maybe." Jongdae smiles. "It does make me realize how much we miss out on as humans. There's a lot out there that animals can see or hear or smell that we don't notice. Usually, that is." Another smile, a little sad this time. "I'd much prefer to stay an unaware human, but if I'm stuck with these changes, I might as well enjoy the experience."

Han nods, not knowing what else to say. He doesn't envy Jongdae and Baekhyun their side of the curse, but he can't help wondering what it's like. He also can't help thinking about Minseok; there's no upside for him, is there?

The next few days pass uneventfully, which is a relief at this point. Baekhyun makes a nuisance of himself as he recovers, but Han suspects they're all too happy that he's alive to really mind. As for Minseok, he's back to being quiet like he was when Han first woke up. He's not unfriendly, but he doesn't say any more than he needs to. Most of the time, he avoids making eye contact with Han, but every once in a while, he forgets himself and catches Han's eye as he smiles at something Baekhyun said, or for no apparent reason, really. Every time it happens, Han's heart swells and aches at the same time. He wonders if he's being a glutton for punishment, staying here and pining, but he's still not ready to leave. He's still not ready to give up hope that things will change.

On the fourth night after Baekhyun's injury, for the first time since his fever broke, darkness swirls its way into Han's dreams. He'd assumed that his previous dreams were caused by the magic-induced fever, or the underlying magic itself, so it startles him to find himself dreaming again. The darkness still frightens him and he doesn't want to dream, but it's out of his control. 

He sees his brother's face again, a dark cloud around him that somehow seems even blacker than before. There's anger in his eyes and greed in his twisted smile and it hurts Han to look at him. What happened to the loving brother he remembers from his childhood? Did he turn into this, or was he never real at all?

The darkness covers Jeongsu, and even before it parts, Han knows what's coming next. Sure enough, there's Minseok, but his expression isn't like Jeongsu's. He looks scared, and so very young and small. It makes Han want to hold him tight, to take him away from all of this, but he's frozen in place, helpless. Instead, he watches the darkness slowly soak into Minseok, his frightened expression slowly transforming into apathy and then malice. Now that he knows Minseok, Han can see how wrong it is for him to look like that. Minseok is not a scared young boy, and he's not this evil person. He's strong and he's good and this darkness has no place in him.

Jeongsu reappears beside Minseok, and they turn to each other, the same cruelty reflected in both their faces. Han watches, puzzled, as the darkness begins to flow from Minseok's body into his brother's, as though Jeongsu is absorbing it all. On and on it continues, until suddenly Jeongsu disappears, consumed by the darkness, leaving only Minseok. He falls to his knees, his face hidden from Han.

"Minseok!" Han cries. He tries to run toward him and finds that he can move now, but he only manages one step forward before the dream dissipates and he jerks awake.

The cabin is dark and quiet and Han gasps for breath, his heart racing. He doesn't understand why he had another dream after all this time, or what it means. He thought at the time that his previous dreams were meaningless, but it turned out that they were telling him about Minseok's curse. What are they telling him now? He feels strangely hopeful after seeing the way the darkness left Minseok, but also afraid.

"Bad dream?" Han jumps at the sound of Minseok's voice. He hadn't even noticed that Minseok was out of bed, but now he sees that he's sitting in front of the fire; he's not surprised, somehow, that Minseok's having trouble sleeping too. The faint nighttime glow of the fire lights him eerily, but he still looks like normal Minseok, not that frightening figure in Han's dream.

"Yes." Han's been avoiding Minseok, but right now, he wants to see him, to reassure himself that what he saw before was only a dream. He gets up and goes to sit next to Minseok, who darts a brief glance in his direction before turning back to the fire. "I had strange dreams when I was sick, and I thought it was only the fever, but I think...somehow in those dreams, I knew about the curse, long before you told me, though I didn't understand what I was seeing. I had another dream like that now, and I don't know what it means, or if it means anything."

"What did you see?" Minseok asks quietly, giving no impression of what he thinks of all of this. Han tells him briefly, without too much detail. "You don't think your brother has anything to do with this curse, do you?" Minseok asks when he finishes.

Han shakes his head. "I can't imagine that it does. I think the darkness is dark magic. That's the connection, that he got into dark magic, and it's dark magic that's affecting you."

Silence falls, and Han watches Minseok stare into the fire. He looks beautiful, and Han wants very badly to lean in and kiss him. He doesn't do that, but against his better judgment, he whispers, "I miss you."

Minseok tenses, barely perceptible. "I'm right here," he says. He's trying to sound casual, but it's strained.

"That's not what I meant," Han says.

Minseok sighs and slowly turns to face Han, eyes heavy with sadness. "I know."

Minseok doesn't move, and Han can't help being drawn toward him, leaning closer and closer until finally their lips meet. Minseok doesn't pull away, but he doesn't respond either, and after a moment, Han pulls back. Minseok looks even sadder now, and it makes Han regret the action. He's not making this easier for either of them. "I'm sorry," he says quietly.

Minseok silently shakes his head, then gets to his feet. "Let's go back to bed," he says.

Han obediently follows him, but with the memory of his dreams and Minseok's sad expression lingering in his mind, he doesn't think he'll get much more sleep tonight.

 

***

 

In the light of day, Minseok can almost believe that he dreamed Han kissing him in front of the fire, but he knows he didn't. It was only one little kiss, but he could have easily stopped it, and he's angry with himself for giving in. It's so tempting to forget what happened, to let Han kiss him and do whatever else he wants as though nothing has changed. He still likes Han, and he still wants him. But then, the temptation to just not care is indication enough that he shouldn't give in; if he doesn't care that he'll only hurt Han more if they continue, that's the curse talking, and he can't listen to it.

He pretends that it was a dream, and Han says nothing, though Minseok catches him staring more than once. Baekhyun and Jongdae must notice too, but they don't comment, only do their best to keep the atmosphere as light as it can be under the circumstances. Minseok is grateful, yet again, for their presence.

A week after he was hurt, Baekhyun is back to his usual self, more or less. He's still limping a little, and he winces sometimes at contact with the injuries hidden under his clothes, but he doesn't let that stop him from going about his business. The wolf paw does get in the way, but he pretends it doesn't, laughingly commenting that maybe he doesn't need a trap or a weapon to go hunting anymore. Minseok is sure it must bother him, but they're all happier pretending.

And then, one afternoon, there's a knock at the door. It startles all of them, and Jongdae breaks off in the middle of telling an embarrassing childhood story (about Baekhyun, of course, not himself). They all exchange looks, and Baekhyun hisses, "What do we do?"

"Hide," Minseok tells him. "I'll answer."

"But where?" There's so little space for two people to hide.

"Here." Jongdae goes to the bed and lifts the covers, waving for Baekhyun to join him. They lie down and pull the covers over them. Like that, it's very obvious that there are people on the bed, but at least it's not obvious that they're people with various animal parts.

Once they're out of sight, Minseok heads for the door. Han follows him, but Minseok tells him, "Stay back until we see who it is." He doesn't know why anyone would be here looking for Han, but it is a possibility, and they should be careful.

When Minseok opens the door, he sees a young man, probably close to his age. Minseok doesn't recognize him, so he can't be from the village, and the pack he's carrying marks him as a traveler, but travelers are rare out here, especially in the winter. Even if he is traveling somewhere, why would he stop here, far out of town? "Hello," Minseok says politely, hoping he sounds like someone with nothing to hide. "Can I help you with something?"

"Yes, please," the man responds, equally politely. "I don't mean to bother you, but I just came from the village nearby. I'm looking for someone, you see, and I heard that he might be staying here."

So he is looking for Han, then. Minseok opens his mouth to lie, but before he can say anything, Han steps into view. "Yixing?" he asks. It takes Minseok a moment to place the name, but then he remembers where he heard it: that was the name of Han's manservant, which he used in town.

Yixing's face lights up. "Prince Han! You can imagine my surprise when I asked around and heard there was a newcomer named Yixing staying with some young men out by the woods."

"I didn't want to give my real name," Han sheepishly explains. Then he frowns. "What are you doing here?"

"Your brother sent me, highness." Han's eyes go wide, but then Yixing clarifies, "No, no, Prince Yunho." Minseok can't keep the names of Han's brothers straight, but he assumes that's not the one who framed him and tried to kill him. Han still looks nervous, so Yixing adds, "I mean you no harm. Please, may I come in?"

Han looks at Minseok, but he's not sure whether it's to get his opinion or to ask permission to invite someone into his home. "Yes, come in," Minseok says, stepping back. He's still wary, but Yixing is only one man against four, including one with some sharp wolf claws. If he is a threat, they can deal with him.

Inside, Yixing stays on his feet, perhaps out of deference to Han. Minseok forgets, more often than not, that Han is a prince, and he wouldn't know the proper way to behave around a prince anyway, but if Yixing was Han's servant, of course he knows exactly what behavior is expected. In any case, Minseok has other concerns. He positions himself between Yixing and the bed, hoping he won't notice the conspicuous lumps on it.

Yixing doesn't seem to care, thankfully, his attention focused on Han. "Why are you here?" Han asks again. "Why would my brother send you all the way out here to find me?" Han looks unsure, but also more princely, somehow, in his tone of voice and the way he's holding himself, as if he's falling back into familiar habits with Yixing here. It's strange for Minseok to see.

"He asked me to give you his apologies," Yixing says. "He's truly sorry that he didn't believe you when you said the crown prince framed you. He can see now that you were right, that Prince Jeongsu has changed."

"Oh." Minseok can understand why Han seems less than happy with that. It's too little too late now, isn't it? "Then what does he want? I can't go back."

"I believe you can, highness," Yixing counters. "It will be dangerous, I'm afraid, but...even with you gone, the crown prince still feels threatened. Prince Yunho is in danger, and perhaps even the king. Prince Jeongsu is too impatient to wait for power. He may well go as far as trying to kill the king."

"And what can I do about that? I told them already, but no one believed me," Han says plaintively.

"But if—" Yixing starts, but then Baekhyun cuts in, voice muffled by blankets, "If this is going to go on for a while, can we just come out?"

Minseok looks at Han, who shrugs, his mind clearly elsewhere. "Go ahead," Minseok says.

Baekhyun and Jongdae emerge from the bed, fixing their rumpled fur. "Hi!" Baekhyun says cheerfully. "Nice to meet you." Jongdae waves in Yixing's direction.

Yixing blinks, understandably confused. "I'm sorry to ask, but...are you human?"

"Yes," Baekhyun answers. "It's a curse. We can tell you all about it after you're done talking about princes and kings and death and all of that."

Yixing blinks a few more times and then turns his attention back to Han as if nothing happened. "If you and Prince Yunho both go to the king, it's more likely that he will believe you. The prince is also looking for evidence to support his claims, though he hadn't found anything yet when I left. He may not find anything, in which case he'll need your support. Please, highness."

There's a long silence before Han asks, "And if I won't go?"

Yixing frowns, albeit subtly. "Then I'll try my best to convince you. And if I'm not able to convince you, then I'll go back and do what I can to help. But...I know that you're a good man, and that you value your family. I hope I'm right in thinking that you wouldn't leave Prince Yunho and the king and queen to face this alone."

Han looks very uncomfortable, so Minseok's not surprised when Jongdae jumps in, "You won't leave immediately, whatever your decision is. Sit and have dinner with us. You must have been on the road for a long time to come here. It'll do you good to rest."

"Yes, thank you." Jongdae ushers Yixing over to the table, and Han visibly wilts with relief at not being put on the spot any longer.

"Is this all right?" Minseok asks as quietly as he can. "If you want him gone..."

Han shakes his head. "I need time to think, that's all." 

He looks scared and uncertain, and before Minseok can think better of it, he takes Han's hand and squeezes it. "You'll figure it out," he says.

 

***

 

Han sits on the bed while Baekhyun and Jongdae distract Yixing and Minseok puts together something for dinner. Normally, he would laugh at Yixing's bemused reaction to Jongdae and Baekhyun's usual antics, or at his shock as they explain the curse that made them look the way they do (as if Han wasn't equally shocked when he found out), but right now, his thoughts are far away, back in the castle with his family.

He's worried, first of all. When Jeongsu spoke to him before he left, it sounded as though his actions were some petty vendetta, jealousy because Han was more popular with the people. Given that, he hadn't worried about Yunho or his father becoming the next target. If they are in danger, how can he stand idly by?

At the same time, a part of him resents being asked to come back and save the day. He told the truth before, and no one believed him. If they had, Jeongsu would be the one in exile and the rest of them would be safe already. Why should it be his responsibility to save them from their mistakes?

Beyond that, he's scared. What if Jeongsu is too strong now? He remembers his dreams, all that darkness swirling around his brother. He almost killed Han by causing his magical fever, and that was two months ago. If he's grown more powerful since then, will they be able to stop him? There's also the chance that his parents won't believe Han this time either. He doesn't think they would have him executed for breaking his exile, but he can't be sure, and Jeongsu might find a way to make it look worse than it is. There are just too many twists, too many ways this could go wrong.

He's not surprised that someone comes over to talk to him, since he probably looks as lost as he feels, but he is surprised that it's Minseok. Minseok looks a little nervous, like he's not sure he can talk to Han alone like this, but he manages a comforting smile. "It's a lot to take in, isn't it?" he asks.

Han looks warily over at Yixing, but he's still caught up in conversation with Baekhyun and Jongdae. "It is," he says. "I assumed that was it, that I'd never go home again. I especially didn't think I'd be _asked_ to come back. But it's only my brother. I don't know if my father will believe me now, and he's the one that matters. If he doesn't..."

Minseok nods like he understands, though of course this is as far outside of his experience as the curse is of Han's. "I'm not a prince," Minseok says, "and I'm not you, but I think...if I was in your position, I wouldn't be able to say no. I might not want to go, but knowing my family was in danger, I would have to." 

Han sighs. It seems Minseok does understand quite well. "But what if my father won't listen? What if my brother does something worse now? I don't even know if I'm strong enough to make the trip home."

"Now you're just making excuses," Minseok says dryly. "You've been healthy enough to leave for weeks already."

"You're probably right," Han ruefully admits. He sighs again, earning a small smile from Minseok. "I suppose there's not really any choice to make, is there? But I'll need a few days to prepare before I go. It's a long journey to the capital and I have so little to take with me."

"We'll find you what you need," Minseok says.

_And then we'll say goodbye,_ Han thinks. He's been anticipating that moment, but he didn't think it would happen like this. Maybe it's better for him to leave before the end, but he doesn't want to give up hope and admit that the end is coming for Minseok and the others. Even if it is, he doesn't want to leave them to face it alone.

He doesn't say any of that, only smiles at Minseok. "Thank you." 

 

That night, again, Han dreams. It starts like the last, with darkness and his oldest brother's face, but at a distance from Jeongsu, he sees himself, along with Yixing, Minseok, a wolf and a fox that are presumably Baekhyun and Jongdae, and, to his faint surprise, Kyungsoo. Jeongsu watches them with a cold anger in his eyes. "This is the end," he growls. "This is how it ends."

Fear seizes Han as Jeongsu waves his arm and darkness washes over the whole scene, covering them all. It parts briefly, like mist blown by the wind, and Han sees Minseok laughing cruelly, as he did in his earlier dreams. The darkness closes over them again, but then it begins to flow back into Jeongsu's body. Han doesn't understand any more than the last time what it means, but he watches until the darkness is gone and Jeongsu disappears.

When he looks back at the group, he sees Minseok on his knees, but what really surprises him is Baekhyun and Jongdae: they're human again, no sign of any animal parts. Beaming, they run to Minseok's side and lift him to his feet. He raises his head and Han sees that he's smiling too, disbelieving but happy. He's himself again, as surely as Baekhyun and Jongdae are. Just the sight makes Han happy, but it also makes him confused. What does it all mean?

Han can't process it all in the middle of a dream, but as he sinks into deeper, dreamless sleep, he thinks, _Please let it be real._

 

***

 

Minseok is usually the first one up, but when he wakes in the morning, he finds Yixing already up, adding wood to the fire. He slept on the floor, horrified at the thought of anyone sharing a bed with a prince, and the blanket he used is neatly folded. "Good morning," he says when he sees Minseok looking at him.

"Good morning." Minseok rolls out of bed and goes to join Yixing by the fire. The weather has started to warm up again, but there's still a chill in the mornings. "Did you sleep well?"

"Yes, thank you. And you?"

"Very well, thanks." It's not entirely true—Minseok has had more and more trouble sleeping, with dark thoughts from and about the curse set free every time he closes his eyes—but Yixing doesn't need to know that. He's heard about Baekhyun and Jongdae's part of the curse, but not about Minseok's yet, and if he's leaving in a matter of days, there's no reason he needs to find out.

"I want to thank you," Yixing says, "for taking such good care of Prince Han. I was very worried for him when he was exiled."

"You didn't think he deserved it for trying to kill the king?" Minseok asks.

Yixing looks guilty at that. "I did doubt the prince, when I heard what happened, but I wasn't convinced that he was capable of murder. I thought there must be some misunderstanding, or someone forcing him to do it. I accepted that the king had no choice but to punish him for it, but I didn't want him to suffer."

"He almost died," Minseok says. "He nearly froze to death in the woods, and he was sick with a magical fever that might have killed him if a sorcerer hadn't healed him."

"Oh, I didn't know." Yixing hangs his head.

"It's not your fault," Minseok tells him. "But I hope you understand now that he did nothing wrong. He's the victim in this situation."

Yixing nods earnestly. "Of course. After serving him for so many years, I should have known better than to doubt his character."

"I hope you'll take care of him from now on," Minseok says. In spite of everything he's been through with his brother and now here, with the curse, there's still an innocence to Han that makes Minseok want to protect him. He wants Han to have as happy of an ending as he can to his story. That's why it's for the best that he's leaving now, so Minseok can't hurt him more and he doesn't have to see how bad it gets.

"Of course," Yixing says firmly.

Baekhyun and Jongdae get up soon, but Han sleeps late today, and wakes up looking tired. "Rough night?" Baekhyun asks him.

"Yes, I..." Han pauses and frowns. "I had a dream..."

"Oh, a _dream_?" Baekhyun teases, but Han barely seems to notice.

"Yes. It was strange. I saw all of you, and Kyungsoo too, and my brother. It was as if...he pulled all the darkness into him and it broke the curse. Is that possible? I don't understand what it means. My brother isn't the one who cursed you..."

"But could it be that he's the key to breaking it?" Off everyone's surprised looks, Jongdae shrugs. "What do I know about magic? But if there are curses and magical illnesses and charms to repel wolves, why shouldn't there be prophetic dreams?"

"We could ask Kyungsoo," Baekhyun suggests. "Maybe he'll know something about how to interpret your dream, or at least to know if it really means something." To Yixing, he explains, "Kyungsoo is the sorcerer who treated Han when he was sick, and he saved me when I was attacked by wolves."

"There's no harm in asking," Minseok says. He doesn't dare hope, but now that Han has raised the possibility, they might as well explore it. 

 

Baekhyun runs off to fetch Kyungsoo, who he seems to have developed an attachment to after Kyungsoo saved him from the wolves, and the rest of them idly pass the time until he returns with Kyungsoo in tow. The sorcerer looks annoyed, but he sounds mildly curious when he asks Han, "Baekhyun said you had a dream you thought might mean something?"

Han nods. "Its not the first one. I had a lot of dreams when I was sick, but they stopped when I got better. I've only had two since, one about a week ago and the other last night." He explains his dreams in more detail than before, and Minseok listens, not knowing what to think. Kyungsoo's face is impassive, despite him only now learning that Han is a prince, among other things. The only one whose reaction is easy to read is Yixing, who looks confused and then darts curious glances over at Minseok after Han describes seeing him in his dreams. Minseok ignores him; the explanation of what the curse has to do with him can wait.

When Han finishes, Kyungsoo is silent for a painfully long time. Finally, he says, "I know of no way to be sure if a dream is a vision of the future or not, but I have heard of people developing limited magical abilities after having a spell placed on them. It's possible that the magic that caused your illness triggered visions in the form of dreams. I can also tell you that these dreams are not to be interpreted literally. Rather than your brother himself breaking the curse, it could mean that some event set in motion by him will result in it breaking, or that something will happen in his presence but unrelated to him."

"And there's no way to know?" Jongdae asks.

"Not until it happens," Kyungsoo answers.

"But..." Han looks at Kyungsoo with a hopeful, almost pleading expression. "It means there's a good chance the curse _will_ be broken, doesn't it?"

"It does seem that way," Kyungsoo agrees.

"We should go with you then!" When everyone (except Kyungsoo) looks at Baekhyun in surprise, he says, "What? If being around Han's brother might be our way out of this, shouldn't we go to him? If nothing else, we'll be good company, and help keep Han safe on his way home."

"He's right," Jongdae agrees. "We shouldn't sit around here being useless when we could help, and maybe find a way to break the curse while we're at it."

It makes sense, in a way, but Minseok is wary. He's the wrong person to try to keep Han safe at this point, with the effects of the curse accelerating. He doesn't want to pass up what might be their only chance at breaking the curse, but is it worth the risk? What if they're interpreting the dreams wrong and he'll end up hurting Han?

Heedless to Minseok's internal conflict, Baekhyun turns his attention to Kyungsoo. "You should come too. Han saw you in his dream too, after all."

Now Kyungsoo's feelings are clear, his face wrinkling up into an expression of distaste. Of course a recluse like Kyungsoo wouldn't want anything to do with traveling with them, especially not to the large capital city. Baekhyun and Jongdae laugh at him, and Jongdae says, "We understand if you don't want to, of course, but there might be a good reason you were there. Think about it, at least."

"You'll come, then?" Han asks eagerly. He's looking at Baekhyun and Jongdae, but then he turns, more hesitantly to Minseok. 

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Minseok asks. "If people see us..." He gestures at Baekhyun and Jongdae. They can't even go to the village, so how can they travel like this?

"We should take back routes anyway," Yixing puts in. "We can't take the chance that someone will recognize Prince Han and report that he's returning."

That was the least of Minseok's objections, but he was hoping it would be enough. "That's true. But if we're wrong about this..."

"Then we'll deal with it," Han says immediately. "But you have to try."

It scares Minseok, partly because he's afraid of what he'll do as the curse progresses and partly because having hope means the possibility of it being crushed, but if nothing else, he can't deny his friends this opportunity to escape their fate. As Han said of his own situation, there's no choice to make, really. "All right," he reluctantly agrees. "Let's go."

 

***

 

The next few days pass in a flurry of travel preparations. Minseok, Han and Yixing go into town to buy supplies, making use of the gold that's been sitting untouched in Han's pack. They organize their things and put the cabin in order. It makes Han sad to think that he'll never come back here. It's small, and so simple compared to the luxury of the castle, but he's been happy here, able to relax and be himself.

Baekhyun makes several trips to pester Kyungsoo into joining them, but he refuses. "He threatened to turn me into a toad if I come again," Baekhyun says after his third visit in two days. "I don't know if he can actually do that or not."

"Best not to find out," Jongdae says, but Baekhyun still tries one more time before they go. (Kyungsoo doesn't turn him into a toad, but that may be out of kindness rather than lack of ability.)

Han is happy that Minseok, Baekhyun and Jongdae will be joining him and Yixing, both because he won't have to say goodbye to them yet and because there's hope that they'll find the answer to how to break the curse, but it complicates things too. Somehow two weeks have passed since Baekhyun was attacked and Minseok said he and Han could only be friends, but the awkward tension between them hasn't dissipated. It's still hard for Han to resist the impulse to reach out and touch Minseok, or to kiss him, to hold him and easily smile with him like he did before. From the way Minseok looks at him, Han doesn't think he's the only one still struggling.

And then, of course, there's the matter of the curse itself. The memory of his dreams is still fresh in Han's mind: Minseok drenched in darkness, his cruel expression and frightening laugh. He remembers seeing Jongdae and Baekhyun completely transformed too. He dreamed of an end to the curse, and he has to believe that it's real, but he's afraid of what will happen before they reach that point. It won't change his plans, but it is hard not to think about.

Soon, they have everything ready to leave. Han doesn't feel prepared for what's to come, but that's not something he can buy and put in his pack. He has no choice but to face it and do the best he can. He reminds himself that he didn't think he could survive exile either, but he has. That's more through luck than his own strength, but hopefully this time too, he'll be lucky enough to get through whatever comes.

They spend one more night in the cabin and wake up to what Han can't help feeling is a bad omen: Baekhyun's eyes have changed into golden brown wolf's eyes, while Jongdae's limbs are covered in fur. "At least this way I won't get cold," Jongdae says cheerfully, as though it doesn't bother him, but Han knows Baekhyun and Jongdae well enough now to realize that just because they're smiling doesn't mean they're not upset.

Minseok, for his part, is quiet and closed off, but Han sees him looking at Jongdae and Baekhyun, and them looking back at him when they think he isn't paying attention. Minseok's friends, like Han, must be wondering if something else has changed inside of him, or if it's coming soon. The curse is progressing, however unpredictably, and Han is afraid to find out what comes next. He imagines Minseok is too.

Rather than dwell on that, they eat a quick breakfast, bundle up, shoulder their packs, and put out the fire. Minseok sets a piece of paper on the bed, a letter to their families in case they get worried enough to come out here looking for them. (Han suggested that Minseok go say goodbye to his parents in person while they were in town, but he wasn't surprised that Minseok refused.) If all goes well, they'll be back to their usual selves and able to see their families soon; if not...Han isn't going to think about the possibility that things won't end well.

With that done, they set out. "I'm going to miss this place," Jongdae says, looking back one more time at the cabin.

Baekhyun laughs. "I'm not."

"Don't lie," Jongdae retorts. "We had some good times there." He turns to Han. "Right?"

Han thinks back and smiles. There were some difficult times, but good ones too. "Right."

"True," Baekhyun concedes, "but I'm ready for something new."

"Just wait, a few days on the road and you'll be sick of traveling and ready to go back," Jongdae teases. Baekhyun laughs and doesn't disagree.

They spread out after a while, Jongdae and Baekhyun hurrying ahead, Minseok a little behind them, and Yixing and Han in back. "They're good people," Yixing comments, watching Jongdae and Baekhyun mess around, "though I do wonder if it's for the best to have them traveling with us."

"They saved my life," Han says firmly. "They may well do it again. Regardless, this is my chance to help them." He smiles wryly. "If nothing else, traveling with Baekhyun and Jongdae means that if we meet any people, they won't be looking at me."

Yixing nods. "Highness, if I may... Baekhyun and Jongdae explained the nature of the curse on them, but I'm not clear what's happening to Minseok."

Han doesn't want to talk about it, but if Yixing is going to be traveling with them, he should know. "He's changing on the inside. We're not sure exactly how, but the man who cursed them said he would become a monster inside, little by little."

Yixing doesn't say anything right away, but Han eyes him warily, knowing he's thinking through how to respond. Finally, he asks, "Then is it wise to stay close to him? I understand that you've befriended them, but your safety is important."

"Minseok's a good person. He's fighting as hard as he can against those changes. He won't do anything to hurt us." Han is worried too, if he lets himself think about it, but he refuses to admit that.

"The crown prince was a good person once too," Yixing says quietly, "or so we thought."

"Minseok is not my brother," Han snaps. "Jeongsu made his own choices." His voice is loud enough that the others look back briefly; he hopes they didn't catch what he said.

"I'm sorry, highness," Yixing says. "I didn't mean to offend. I only meant that you should be careful of being too trusting. Minseok may not be able to fight forever."

Anger flares in Han, but the truth is that he's angry because he knows it's true. He waits until he can respond more calmly. "I'll be careful," he says. "But I won't abandon him."

Yixing looks at Han like he can see right through him, but all he says is, "I understand. Then I'll do my best to keep you safe, whatever happens."

 

***

 

Life in the cabin wasn't interesting, but it was comfortable, at least physically. There was food and a warm fire, a soft bed with plenty of blankets. There was no need to carry a heavy pack while trudging along all day away from the road, or to sleep on the ground with a thin bedroll and a single blanket. It's not unbearably cold out anymore, but cold enough that the chill slowly sinks into Minseok's bones over the course of the day, with no promise of a warm room at night to sustain him.

There were dangers and worries back home, but not in the same way there are now. They need to be careful to not be seen or risk people reacting badly to the sight of Baekhyun and Jongdae, to say nothing of the fact that Han is disobeying the king by returning home and they could all be punished for helping him. There are also more mundane risks, like wild animals and bandits, that they need to watch out for.

The first day out, Minseok manages well enough, but by the second, his patience is already wearing thin. Everything irritates him, from the patches of lingering ice trying to bring him down to the slight lopsidedness of his pack to Baekhyun and Jongdae's neverending chatter, which he has no reprieve from when they're on the road all day. It's too cold and his pack is too heavy and there's too much noise and yet not enough to distract him from the tedium of endless walking and the unpleasantness of his own thoughts.

"Having fun?" Jongdae asks halfway through the afternoon, leaving Baekhyun's side to talk to Minseok. 

"Tons," Minseok answers, heavily sarcastic.

Jongdae gives him that _look_ , the one that means Minseok has done something uncharacteristic that could be because of the curse. The thought only makes Minseok feel more irritated. Is it the curse that's making him so annoyed with everything? How could he be so stupid as to not think of that? Jongdae's expression turns sympathetic, and Minseok fights the impulse to glare at him for it. He doesn't glare, but whatever does show on his face prompts Jongdae to worriedly ask, "Minseok?"

"It's nothing," Minseok says gruffly. "I'm just feeling...frustrated."

"With what?" Jongdae asks.

"Nothing, really. That's the problem." Minseok catches Yixing looking over at him as he talks to Han and Baekhyun and wonders what he thinks. He didn't know Minseok before the curse, or even at the earlier stages when he met Han. Seeing him grumble or avoid conversation, does Yixing assume that Minseok has always been so bad-tempered? It must be hard for him to understand why Minseok has friends, or why Han likes him. Minseok isn't sure he understands the second part either.

"I'm sorry," Jongdae says. "Is there anything we can do?"

Minseok looks at Jongdae, catching the sadness in his eyes. Jongdae's covered in fur, with a tail and that strange fox nose in the middle of his face, and he's not complaining. Baekhyun has wolf eyes and ears and a paw in place of one hand and he's laughing with Han and Yixing like he doesn't have a care in the world. Of course there's a good reason why Minseok can't respond to the curse with the same positive attitude, but it feels like an excuse. He has to try, at least, instead of letting his bad mood spread unchecked. 

He tries to smile at Jongdae, although it feels stiff and fake. "I'm the one who should be doing something about it. Sorry to worry you."

Jongdae smiles back and nudges him with his shoulder, and Minseok squashes the unreasonable flare of annoyance that follows. "What are friends for? Worry me anytime you need."

Jongdae seems ready to end the conversation there, but Minseok finds himself blurting out, "Jongdae?" When Jongdae looks at him, he says, "Will you tell me if I seem different? It's getting harder for me to see it, and I don't..." He bites his lip, searching for the right words. "I don't want to give in."

Jongdae nods earnestly. "I will. Whatever I can do—whatever we can do, you know we will. We're in this together, remember? All of us, now."

"Thank you," Minseok says. The feelings of irritation aren't gone, but he finds, as he flashes Jongdae a more genuine smile, that everything that bothered him feels much smaller than before.

 

***

 

By the time they stop for the night on the second day of travel, Han is exhausted. He can't say if he's not quite as recovered from his illness as he thought or if he's only not used to walking for so long, but he wants nothing more than to eat a hot meal, sleep in a comfortable bed, and not have to walk anywhere for at least a week. He's too proud to complain, but he hopes he'll be able to adjust or the long journey to the castle is going to be a painful one.

Nobody else complains, although Minseok looks vaguely disgruntled. Minseok has looked vaguely disgruntled all day long, so Han can't read much into it. It does worry him, but at least Minseok's mood seems better since he talked to Jongdae earlier, and he's sitting down with them instead of off on his own. Han would like to talk to him too, but not in front of everyone, so he just smiles when Minseok looks his way. He feels both relieved and happy when Minseok smiles back.

They're halfway through dinner when Jongdae suddenly asks, "Baekhyun, do you hear anything strange?"

Baekhyun, who was just about to put a piece of bread in his mouth, stops with his mouth comically hanging open. "What do you mean 'strange?'"

"I don't know. I can smell something close by, and it's a familiar smell, but I can't place it. I'm still getting the hang of this new sense of smell."

"I can hear a lot of things," Baekhyun says, "but it's hard to sort them out. Do you think it's a person or something else?"

Jongdae sniffs and then considers, his brown furrowing. "It does smell like a person. I think it's close, but it's a lot fainter than the rest of us, like it's muffled somehow."

Baekhyun cocks his head, his ears shifting. Han watches, starting to feel nervous. Could it be that someone is following them? Surely they would have noticed if someone had followed Yixing to him, and otherwise, there's no reason for anyone to be after them. Not knowing what they're up against worries him. He has a hunting knife on his belt, but nothing more; his sword was left behind when he was exiled, and they weren't able to find him a new one in the small village on such short notice. He doesn't know how well he could defend himself like this, especially as tired as he is.

After listening for a while, Baekhyun gets to his feet. Han starts to do the same, but Baekhyun gestures for the rest of them to stay. "Keep talking," he whispers. He has a knife too, and he pulls it out, also holding up his wolf paw.

"It's good to sit down and eat after a long day of walking, isn't it?" Jongdae says, too loudly.

"It is," Yixing responds similarly. "I hope it's not tiring you out too much."

"No, no, it'll take a lot more than that to stop me," Jongdae chirps. Han laughs loudly at that which makes Jongdae laugh too. Minseok smiles, while Yixing politely pretends that he doesn't also find Han amusing.

"And how—" Yixing starts, but he breaks off at the sound of Baekhyun yelling "Got you!" and then "Hey!" followed by a distant grunt of pain.

The last sounds bad enough that Han gets up, and all the others follow soon after. They run toward the noise and find Baekhyun pouting on the ground next to an unexpected figure. "Kyungsoo?" Han says.

"What did you do to me?" Baekhyun whines. "That hurt."

"You shouldn't have attacked me." Kyungsoo's tone is gruff, but Han thinks he's a little embarrassed to have caused this scene. He steps forward and offers a hand to help Baekhyun up. Baekhyun pouts at him but accepts the help, picking up his fallen knife once he's back on his feet.

"What are you doing here?" Jongdae asks. "I thought you weren't coming."

Kyungsoo shrugs. "I came," he says matter-of-factly.

"For us?" When Kyungsoo shrugs in response, Baekhyun asks, "Why didn't you just come with us in the first place? You didn't have to sneak around and scare us." He gives Kyungsoo a friendly smack on the arm and the sorcerer flinches away.

"You're loud," Kyungsoo mutters.

"Is that a reason?" Baekhyun asks. Kyungsoo shrugs again.

"Why don't you join us for dinner?" Minseok cuts in before Baekhyun can say something else loud. "And it would be safer for us to spend the nights together, but you don't need to walk with us if you don't want to." He pulls a wry face. "I understand that some of us can be overwhelming." That makes Han smile; this is the Minseok who made him feel welcome in the cabin after his initial hesitation. He's seen this side of Minseok less and less in recent days, and it's good to know that he's still in there.

Kyungsoo gives Minseok a piercing look that Han wouldn't want directed at him, but Minseok doesn't flinch. After a moment, Kyungsoo nods. Without another word, he turns and walks toward the fire.

Once they're settled back around the fire, Kyungsoo accepts the offer of food but shrugs off any attempts to find out why he decided to follow them, until even Baekhyun gives up. Han is curious too, but the reason isn't important, only that Kyungsoo is here. Han is glad to have him both because it fits with what he saw in his dream and because it means there's one person in their group who's familiar with dark magic and (hopefully) has some idea of how to fight it.

After they eat, they take advantage of the lingering twilight to get ready for sleep. Han lays out his bedroll and then walks to the stream they stopped near to get a drink. This quiet area, which looked peaceful when they stopped, looks more ominous in the grey evening light, and Han warily looks around. He's so busy looking for most likely imagined danger that he doesn't notice the very real danger of a tree root at his feet, tripping over it and taking an undignified tumble to the ground. "Ow," he says woefully.

"Are you hurt?"

Han starts, scrambling to his feet before he realizes there's nothing to be afraid of. He would have preferred for Minseok not to see him embarrass himself like that, but it's hardly the first time he's made a fool of himself in front of Minseok. "Nothing serious."

"Good." Minseok stands up from where he's kneeling beside the stream. His face is wet and his hair sticks to his skin at the edges until he brushes it back with his hands. 

Han wants to run his fingers through Minseok's hair and kiss the water droplets off his lips, but he couldn't do that even if his hands weren't dirty. He tears his gaze away and wipes his hands on his pants. When he looks up again, Minseok is watching him quietly. "What?" he asks.

Minseok darts a glance in the direction of their camp, but for now, they seem to be alone. "I want to say, I know things are complicated between us, but we're going to be traveling together for a while, and you have enough to worry about with your family. I hope...I hope that we're all right with each other."

Han isn't sure what being all right means for them at this point, but he still answers, "Yes, we are." As long as the curse continues progressing, things aren't likely to change between him and Minseok, so there's no use making an issue of it. 

Minseok looks like he's thinking about saying more, but in the end, he only nods. He turns to walk away, but Han isn't ready to let him go. "Minseok!" he calls. When Minseok turns around, he hesitantly says, "If...when we find a way to break the curse..." He pauses to collect his thoughts. He hasn't really thought beyond the journey ahead, but now he finds himself considering what the future holds for him and Minseok—what he would like it to hold. "When we break the curse, do you think we could try again? I understand why you want me to stay away, but I still..." He still likes Minseok, despite what he's seen, and what he fears in the future.

Darkness is falling fast and it's hard to see Minseok's expression clearly, but Han thinks—or maybe just wishes—that he sees a flash of hope there. "When this is over, you'll be back home," Minseok says. "You'll be a real prince again, not an exile."

"Does that matter to you?" Han understands that whatever happens at the castle, they won't be going back to the way things were, but that doesn't change his feelings.

Minseok's lips quirk into a crooked smile. "I don't know. I can't even imagine it." The smile falls away almost immediately, leaving Minseok looking sad. "I can't imagine any of what's coming. But if we get through all of this and you haven't changed your mind...ask me then."

"I will," he promises. It's not much, but it gives Han hope. He has a little hope about finding a safe place for himself in the castle again, his exile revoked, and a little hope about the curse being broken, and a little more hope that he can be happy again with Minseok someday. All together, it's enough hope to keep him going despite his fears.


	6. Chapter 6

The third day of travel passes much like the first two, but Minseok's mood is a little better. It makes him wonder if it wasn't the curse making him grumpy yesterday, only a natural bad mood, but he knows, as much as he doubts himself, that he never used to have such bad moods. It's strange, how the effects of the curse seem to fluctuate with him the way they don't with Baekhyun and Jongdae. Maybe it's deliberate, to make it that much harder for him to differentiate the curse from his own personality, his own thoughts.

Minseok wonders if this is how the man who cursed him felt, if he wanted to be a better person and fight his inner darkness, or if there were no good parts of him there to fight it. The letter he left made it sound as if he wasn't so self-aware, blaming Minseok's parents for looking down on him instead of wondering if perhaps there was good reason for them to judge him. Then again, perhaps he wrote that letter and placed the curse after he'd already lost the fight.

_Stop that,_ Minseok tells himself. This is what the man wanted, for him to doubt his own goodness. He can't give the man who's hurt him and his friends so much the satisfaction of getting what he wanted.

Minseok can't drive those thoughts away completely, but he tries to quiet them. The scenery provides little distraction, this back country still brown at the tail end of winter, and he doesn't want to think about the journey ahead, so he catches up to where Baekhyun and Jongdae are teasing Han about...he's not sure what, exactly, but they seem to find it hilarious, and all the more so when Han whines about how mean they are.

"Are they like this with everyone?" Yixing asks. He was walking next to the others, but now he falls back to talk to Minseok.

"Everyone around our age, at least," Minseok says. "And the more reaction they get, the more they tease." It's no wonder they like to play with Han. He makes it so easy that even Minseok couldn't resist toying with him. He smiles at the memory, though it seems far away now.

Yixing seems bemused, and ever so slightly indignant. "Don't they care that he's a prince?"

Minseok shrugs. "We didn't know who he was when he first came to us. By the time we found out, we were set in our ways, I suppose, and he never seemed to mind."

That earns a fond smile from Yixing. "Prince Han is the most widely loved of the three princes—I expect you can understand why—but being a prince means always having a certain respectful distance between you and other people, which he never liked. I think he's happier without that, teasing and all. He might well be happier staying with people who treat him like that forever instead of returning to his former life."

Remembering his conversation with Han the night before, Minseok suspects that's true, but it's not so simple. "That's not possible."

"Because of the curse?" Yixing asks. "The prince seems hopeful that it will be broken by the end of this journey."

Minseok has some hope of the same, but he fears what will happen before that, and there's also more to it than that. "Because if things go well, his exile will be over. He'll be expected to go back to his old life."

"He's the youngest prince," Yixing says. "Prince Yunho will be next in line for the throne. I imagine that after everything, Prince Han will be granted more leniency in choosing what he wishes to do next."

"Maybe," Minseok says doubtfully.

Yixing smiles, eyeing Minseok knowingly. "I'm only a servant, but I have known the prince for many years and learned to anticipate his needs. I can't say what will happen, but I have no doubt of what he wants."

The future is too murky for Minseok to even guess at what will happen, let alone hope, but if he dares to think about it and to believe that the chance hasn't already been lost, he knows what he wants too.

 

The fourth day dawns to Jongdae with orange and black fox ears perched on top of his head. "Everything's so _loud,_ " he says, sounding awed even as he winces at the noise. "Is this what it's been like for you this whole time?" he asks Baekhyun.

"Something like that," Baekhyun says.

"And yet you're still so loud." Han grins, pleased with himself for being the one doing the teasing instead of the target for a change.

"I still have a human mouth," Baekhyun counters, unfazed.

After a quick breakfast, Baekhyun disappears among the trees, and returns a few minutes later. Minseok is occupied with getting his pack ready, so he doesn't pay attention until Jongdae says, "That happened fast. Is it just your arms?"

"No, everywhere." Minseok turns to see Baekhyun with one sleeve pulled up to reveal his furry arm with the paw at the end. He pulls it down, tight over the excess bulk of all the fur. In typical Baekhyun fashion, his tone is light, but Minseok is sure he and Jongdae must be worried. They're running out of animal parts to gain without major changes to their human shapes. Baekhyun's managing with his one paw, but if they lose a foot, or a whole leg, things will get difficult.

For now, they don't make a fuss about it. Kyungsoo, who spent the night with them and stayed for breakfast, goes off without a word to walk on his own. Minseok wishes he could go too, away from the endless chatter and the stark visual reminders that the curse is progressing. They still have a ways to go, but the timeline is unpredictable, and it's starting to feel as if the end is in sight, albeit distantly. What will happen if they change completely before their journey is over? Baekhyun and Jongdae might still be of some use, or at least no harm, but Minseok could be a danger to them all.

_Maybe I should leave,_ he thinks as he trudges onward. _Not just like Kyungsoo, but far away from all of this._ He's becoming a burden to everyone, with his unpredictable moods. He's hurt Baekhyun and Jongdae and Han, and he's likely to do worse in the future. Why wait for that to happen? He was right to break things off with Han, but what he really should have done then was leave. Jongdae and Baekhyun didn't want him to go, but that's because they still think he's their friend, the person they grew up with. He left that person behind weeks ago, and he's only moving farther away from him.

_I could sneak away at night. They'd be upset, but they're better off without me. It'll be better for me too, to not be wondering all the time how I'm going to hurt them next._

"Minseok?" Baekhyun's voice cuts into his thoughts, and he realizes with a start that everyone is looking at him. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Minseok tries to smile so they won't worry about him, but he can't manage it. They've stopped walking and all attention is on him, only proving his point. "I'm fine. Let's go."

They start walking again, but Minseok isn't surprised when Baekhyun drops back to talk to him while the others continue on ahead. "I'm _fine_ ," Minseok says.

"You look like the whole world is weighing you down," Baekhyun says. "Talk to me."

"I don't need to talk," Minseok mutters. "You and Jongdae are the ones dealing with changes today."

"And you don't think you are?" Baekhyun asks. 

_Oh._ It's so obvious that Minseok doesn't know how he could have missed it again. It does seem to be getting harder and harder to separate the effects of the curse from himself, and that thought only makes him feel more dejected.

"Talk to me," Baekhyun repeats. "Whatever it is, I won't judge."

"I'm tired of this," Minseok grumbles. "I don't want everyone to worry about me."

"Tough," Baekhyun says. "That's what friends do. I'm not going to leave you alone until you tell me what's wrong."

Minseok has no doubt that he means it, and that means he has no choice. "I shouldn't be here," he says, eyes on the ground in front of his feet. "I'm dangerous."

"What have you done?"

"Nothing yet, but—"

"Stop, Minseok," Baekhyun says firmly, as though there's no room for argument. "We all know the situation, and we all want you here. I don't care how far the curse gets. You're going to stay here with us until we break it—and we are going to break it."

"How can you be so sure?" Minseok asks. "It was only a dream." He'd like to believe that what Han saw was real, and that it means what they think it does, but it feels like such a fragile hope.

"Because I believe." It doesn't sound like Baekhyun's hope is fragile, but Minseok can't understand that. "I believe that the world can be terrible sometimes, but good wins in the end. We're going to beat this curse and defeat Han's brother and be happy again, all of us. Can't you believe that?"

"I'm trying," Minseok says weakly, "but I can't."

"Then I'll believe enough for both of us." Baekhyun laughs a little, but only because it's awkward, not because it's a joke. "It's fine if you can't, but don't leave. Promise me you won't leave. You'll thank me when this is over."

_If you don't hate me,_ Minseok thinks, but there's no use in saying that. "I promise." He doesn't really feel any better, but maybe tomorrow, he thinks, this too will pass.

 

***

 

The next time Han dreams, everything begins with darkness. When it parts, he sees not Jeongsu but Yunho. He's seized with sudden fear that both of his brothers have succumbed to darkness inside of them and he's walking into a trap, but then he sees Yunho's expression and realizes he's misunderstood. His brother looks afraid, but also indignant, as though he's ready to fight back against whatever's frightening him. There's no sign yet of what that is, but it's not difficult for Han to guess.

He only blinks, but when he opens his eyes again, he sees himself beside his brother. He looks afraid too, and also sad, as if he's just had his heart broken. He and Yunho don't acknowledge each other, both frozen to the spot. The darkness is still swirling on both sides of them, and then it parts to reveal Jeongsu on one side and Minseok on the other. Minseok looks more frightening than ever before, cold and pitiless, like he could kill Han without a second thought. This Jeongsu is frightening in a different way, burning hot with anger. "Why won't you die?" he shrieks. "Just die and leave me be!"

The darkness seems to pulse, shifting back and forth between Jeongsu and Minseok, with Han and Yunho stuck between them. _You have to fight,_ Han thinks, but he doesn't know who his words are meant for. Can any of them fight this?

Then, as in his previous dreams, the darkness stops shifting and begins to flow more steadily toward Jeongsu, leaving Minseok behind. The four figures in the scene don't move, only the darkness being drawn into Jeongsu. When at last all the darkness has been absorbed, Han expects a repeat of his previous dreams, but instead there's a flash of blinding light and he wakes with a start and a faint memory of someone calling his name.

He sits up, breathing deeply to calm the pounding of his heart, and looks around. They've been posting a watch, though they have no reason to believe that anyone is looking for them, and right now it's Kyungsoo, sitting quietly by the fire. He looks at Han but says nothing, his eyes dark and unfathomable in the moonlight and firelight. Maybe he doesn't need to ask why Han is awake; Han doesn't think he's a mind reader, but the way Kyungsoo looks at him, Han would believe he knows everything already.

Even so, he feels shaken and wants to talk about it, so he says, "I had another dream. Different this time."

"Oh?" Kyungsoo's voice is soft and even, prompting Han to continue but not showing any particular interest.

"My other brother was there, Yunho. Both of my brothers, and Minseok and me, but no one else. I was helpless—the me in the dream—and Yunho too. It was like a battle between Jeongsu and Minseok, but they weren't fighting with weapons, or even with magic. It was only that same darkness I keep seeing, going back and forth between them."

"Did it end the same way?" Kyungsoo asks.

"The darkness left Minseok and went into my brother," Han says, "but then there was a flash of light and it was over. Do you think it means something different than before?" He's seized by sudden fear that he was wrong before, that the curse won't be broken and the fate awaiting them is something darker.

"I can't say," Kyungsoo answers, "but given the recurring theme of darkness in your dreams, light would seem to be a good sign. I wouldn't let it worry you."

That's some comfort, though Han's heartbeat hasn't quite slowed to its normal rhythm yet. "I don't think I like having magic," he says. "I can see how it's useful, but I don't like it."

"Magic doesn't care whether you like it or not." Han almost thinks he catches a hint of wryness in Kyungsoo's bland tone. He looks at the sorcerer's face, surprised, but he can't see any sign of humor there.

"I suppose not." There's nothing more to say there, so instead Han asks, "Did you always have magic?"

"Yes," Kyungsoo says.

When he doesn't volunteer any information, Han asks, "And did you ever wish you didn't?"

"I can't wish to be someone else. We're all who we are."

Han can't decide if what Kyungsoo is saying is wise and profound or if he's only trying to end the conversation. He doesn't understand Kyungsoo at all, but he's grateful for his presence. "I'm glad you came, even though you didn't want to," he says. "Thank you."

Now, he's sure he sees the faintest of smiles play over Kyungsoo's lips. "It's not so bad," he says.

Han smiles widely in response. "Good."

If he thinks anything of Han's response, Kyungsoo keeps it well hidden. "Get back to sleep," he says. "We're still a long way from morning."

"Goodnight." Han closes his eyes and falls asleep immediately, and he doesn't dream again.

 

When Han wakes again, the sun is shining, the chill of night quickly dissipating. Whether because spring is finally coming or because they're moving south, the weather is warming up. _Minseok must be happy,_ Han thinks, but Minseok still looks glum, though he manages a small smile when he sees Han looking at him.

They've just started eating breakfast when Baekhyun suddenly hisses, "Wait, I hear something."

"Can you be a little more specific?" Jongdae asks. His brow furrows as he tries to catch whatever Baekhyun is hearing. It seems that his hearing is not quite as sharp as Baekhyun's.

"Footsteps," Baekhyun explains. "I think it's two people."

So far, they've been traveling in more remote parts of the kingdom where they can stay close to the main road without worrying about seeing anyone, but it seems that their luck is running out on that front. "Should we hide?" Han asks.

"Two people shouldn't be much danger to us," Jongdae says, "but you should get out of sight, just in case, and Baekhyun and I should too, so we won't have to explain."

They camped in a clearing in a wooded area, so there are plenty of trees around to hide them. Han joins Baekhyun and Jongdae behind a cluster of trees just outside of the clearing, hoping it'll provide enough cover. "Are they still coming toward us?" Han asks. He's not _too_ worried, but he would like to know what they're up against.

"I think so," Baekhyun says. "Can you hear them yet, Jongdae?"

"Yes." Jongdae listens for a moment and then says, "Their footsteps seem quiet. I don't know why."

"Maybe they're sneaking up on us," Han suggests.

Baekhyun scoffs. "Good luck with that, with the two of us here."

They wait, watching through the trees to where Yixing, Minseok and Kyungsoo are sitting, eating their breakfast as though everything is normal. Han still can't hear anything, and he can't see anything until the moment two figures emerge from the trees on the opposite side of the clearing. Once he sees them, he stifles a laugh; the two people who have them nervously hiding in the woods are two little girls. The bigger one can't be more than eight, and the smaller perhaps six.

The two girls stop when they see that the clearing is occupied. "Hello," says the taller one. "Are you bandits?" She's so calm, Han notes. Does she think she could defeat them if they were bandits?

Minseok says something Han can't make out, and the girl says, "Oh, good. Father says we should be careful of bandits, but I've never seen one. Are you travelers, then?"

"Yes, we are," Minseok says.

"Safe journeys, then," the girl says. "We'll be on our way."

"Be careful of bandits!" the smaller girl pipes up.

"We will, thank you," Yixing says.

The girls continue walking, but Han very quickly realizes a problem: they're coming right toward him. Such little girls are unlikely to recognize him as a prince, but they are likely to be scared if they see Baekhyun and Jongdae. He steps forward, hoping to distract them, but he only manages two steps before he stumbles over a rock. At least he manages not to fall this time, but the noise he makes draws the girls' attention exactly where he didn't want it. "Who's there?" the older girl asks, running over so that there's no time to get away.

"I guess we're stuck," Jongdae whispers, then steps up next to Han. "Hello there. We're not bandits either."

The younger girl shrinks back, but the older one eyes him curiously. Baekhyun joins them, and Han imagines that he looks scarier, but she still doesn't seem bothered. "Are you also travelers?" she asks.

"Yes," Baekhyun says. "Those are our friends out there."

The girl cocks her head curiously, looking Baekhyun up and down. "Are you a wolf?" she asks.

"No, I'm a human, but magic is making us look like this for now." Baekhyun sounds amused more than upset or offended, and Han can understand why. This is decidedly not the reaction he would have expected from a young girl. 

"Oh, I see." The girl turns to Han. "What about you?"

"No magic," Han says. "I'm just another traveler."

"Where are your parents?" Jongdae asks. "You can't be traveling all alone."

"Oh, no, we live close by," the girl says. "Mother sent us out to walk while she makes breakfast."

"Hurry home, then," Baekhyun says. "Be careful of bandits."

"And please don't mention us to your parents," Jongdae adds. "We mean no harm, but adults don't always understand about magic, you know."

The girl considers, then nods. "Safe travels," she says.

"Goodbye, Mr. Wolf and Mr. Fox," the younger girl adds, seemingly over her initial fear of them. "And...mister," she concludes, looking at Han.

Baekhyun snickers, but Jongdae manages a polite, "Goodbye."

Minseok and Yixing have come over to see what's going on, and the five of them wave goodbye as the girls leave. As soon as they've disappeared among the trees, they all burst out laughing, even Minseok. "Mr. Wolf," Jongdae chuckles. "Children are really something, aren't they?"

"I needed that laugh," Baekhyun says. "Come on, let's go finish eating."

Minseok is still smiling as they head back to join Kyungsoo, a big change from his earlier demeanor. "The world's not such a bad place, is it?" Han asks him.

Minseok hesitates for a moment, but then he nods, still smiling. "Not all of it."

 

***

 

While their two encounters with people so far, first Kyungsoo and then the two girls, have both proven to be no cause for alarm, it's enough to make it clear that danger may be able to find them if it wants to, and they need to be prepared to defend themselves. To that end, they decide to find a place where they can buy better weapons than what they have. None of them know this area well—for Minseok, and Baekhyun and Jongdae too, this is by far the farthest they've ever been from home, and they're still a long way from the capital and the surrounding area that Yixing and Han know best—so the following day, they decide that Yixing, Minseok and Kyungsoo will venture onto the road in search of a town where they can buy what they need.

"Are you sure you don't mind coming with us?" Yixing asks Kyungsoo as they head off with promises to hurry back.

"You're all right," Kyungsoo says.

"Do you only dislike Baekhyun?" Minseok asks wryly. He's mostly joking, but Kyungsoo is hard to read and he's not entirely sure it isn't true.

"I don't dislike anyone," Kyungsoo says gruffly.

"It's only that they're loud?" Yixing offers.

Kyungsoo says nothing, which is answer enough. It makes Minseok smile. His mood has been better since yesterday morning, and it can hardly all be because of the amusing encounter with the girls. It's another unpredictable shift, and it frustrates him that he can't control it, but he's trying to enjoy it while it lasts.

The road is quiet, but they pass the occasional lone traveler or small group who would likely not take it well if they saw Baekhyun or Jongdae. Small magic is well accepted in most of the kingdom, but humans turning into animals is rather more extreme, and especially humans turning into animals in the disconcerting gradual way that's happening to Baekhyun and Jongdae. Besides, the risk of someone recognizing Han is enough to keep them away from civilization regardless.

Yixing asks a group of travelers and they learn that they're half a day's journey from a town that should serve their needs. It's farther than Minseok had been hoping to go, but there's nothing to be done for it. They walk along, mostly in companionable silence but with the occasional burst of conversation, which suits Minseok fine. As long as he's in a decent mood, he doesn't mind the quiet.

The town they arrive at is hardly enormous, but it's bigger than anywhere Minseok's ever been. He looks around with wide eyes at all the people, the houses and the shops, the bustling streets, and wishes Baekhyun and Jongdae were here to share it with him. They would do well in a place like this, with so many people to talk to and so much going on. 

Yixing seems unimpressed by the town, understandable given where he's from. Kyungsoo, on the other hand, looks like he'd rather be anywhere but here, curling in on himself to avoid people. "Do we need to protect you?" Yixing asks him. Off Kyungsoo's quizzical look, he explains, "You look nervous. Are you not used to crowds?"

"No," Kyungsoo grunts.

"He lives out in the woods," Minseok explains, "even further from civilization than us."

"Did you grow up there?" Yixing asks curiously.

"No." Minseok thinks Kyungsoo is going to leave it at that, but then he adds, "I developed magic early. Other children didn't take it well. I left as soon as I could." That explains a thing or two about Kyungsoo, and it makes Minseok appreciate his simple, ordinary childhood. If only things could have stayed simple.

They find a blacksmith, who eyes them skeptically at first but turns more friendly once they show him their gold. Minseok knows very little about weapons beyond hunting knives, so he watches quietly as Yixing chooses a sword for Han and a dagger for himself. "What about you, Minseok?" Yixing asks once he's satisfied.

"I have a knife..." Minseok says, warily eyeing the blades spread around the room. His only knowledge of swordplay is actually playing with wooden swords as a child, and he wouldn't know what to do with a dagger either. He'll do what he can if there's a fight, but he doesn't have much faith in his abilities.

"We didn't come all the way here for you to leave with the same worn-out hunting knife," Yixing chides gently. "At least buy a new one, something more substantial."

Minseok looks over the knives, inspecting the blades, and lifting them to see how they feel in his hand. He thinks, idly, as he studies them about whether he's likely to use them, and on who. The hope is that Han's problems can be dealt with peacefully, but that seems too optimistic to Minseok. There's also the possibility of danger on the road, in one form or another. 

Gripping the handle of the knife he's holding, Minseok imagines slashing someone's throat with it. The thought startles him, but even more so the vivid image that comes with it, and the most disturbing thing is the flash of smug satisfaction it brings him before he realizes what's happening. He drops the knife, jumping back to avoid getting stabbed in the foot. "Careful!" the blacksmith snaps, but Minseok doesn't care about his anger, only about washing that terrible thought out of his mind. He never wants to be a person who would feel good about killing someone, and the idea that he's on his way to becoming one is horrifying.

"We'll take this one," Yixing says, bending to pick up the fallen knife. "And also that one and that one." He quickly chooses two others for Baekhyun and Jongdae, without asking Minseok's opinion. He may not know what's going on, but he's aware that Minseok is upset and wants to get out of here. "Would you like something?" he asks Kyungsoo.

"No, not here," Kyungsoo says.

Minseok is relieved to get out of the blacksmith's shop and into the light of day. "Did something happen?" Yixing asks him.

Minseok shakes his head. "It's nothing." It's not nothing, but he doesn't want to talk about it. He doesn't want to know how Yixing and Kyungsoo would look at him if he told them, and he'd prefer to forget it ever happened.

Yixing takes him at his word, thankfully. "Anything else we need, then?" He turns to Kyungsoo. "Is there something you'd like to get"

"A staff, perhaps," Kyungsoo says. "I don't need anything else." Minseok's not surprised to hear that; Baekhyun was vague about what Kyungsoo did when he scared off the wolves that were attacking him, but he did it without weapons.

By the time they find Kyungsoo a staff that he can use as a walking stick or to fight, it's the middle of the afternoon, too late for them to make it back to others unless they walk into the night. "Why don't we find a place to stay the night?" Yixing suggests. "We can leave first thing in the morning, so we'll be able to return to the others in time to make some progress tomorrow afternoon."

They find an inn and leave their rather excessive stock of weaponry in the room. Kyungsoo decides to stay there too, but Yixing and Minseok go in search of a meal. There's food at the inn, and a large table to share with other guests. It's nice to eat hot food at a real table again, though they haven't been on the road all that long. Minseok sits quietly to eat his meal and listens to the conversations around him. He's halfway through his dinner when a man across the table asks the people around him, "Did you hear the rumors about the prince? Prince Yunho, that is."

Minseok and Yixing both perk up, then try to pretend they didn't, looking down at their food but still listening.

"Is he the middle one?" an older man asks.

"That's the one. People are saying he's been plotting against the crown prince, wanting to steal the crown from him," the first man says, very pleased with himself at being the one with gossip to share.

"I always heard he was an honorable man," a woman comments. "The most honorable of the three princes."

"And I heard that Prince Han was the nicest one, and look how that turned out," another man puts in. Yixing tenses at the sound of Han's name but keeps his head down. "You can't always believe what you hear."

"The real snakes are good at playing nice," the woman responds. "They can make you think they're sweet and innocent, but when you let your guard down, they'll make you regret it. The king must have been so hurt to have his son turn on him."

"People like Prince Han are the worst kind," says the first man, "ones who would kill their own flesh and blood for power."

"What do you know?" Minseok's on his feet before he realizes what he's doing, slamming his hands down on the table as a burst of anger courses through him.

"And what do _you_ know?" the man asks. He sounds offended but also confused by Minseok's response.

A small part of Minseok is aware enough to realize what he's doing, but he's too angry to stop when these people are talking utter nonsense about Han. "You've never met any of the princes and you never will. You know nothing about them. You're just repeating vague rumors you got tenth-hand so you can feel important and pass judgment on things you'll never understand!"

Too many people are staring at them, and Yixing stands up. "Let's go," he tells Minseok, bobbing his head in apology to everyone else. When Minseok doesn't move, he wraps an arm around him and pulls him away from the table.

"Hey, wait!" the man calls after them. "Are you trying to say that you know the prince?"

Minseok doesn't answer, letting Yixing hurriedly drag him away. His anger has already faded, though the physical effects still linger. He knew it was the curse, but it still felt real—it _was_ real. "I'm sorry," he says to Yixing once they're safely away.

"Is this what it's like?" Yixing asks quietly. "The curse?"

Minseok hangs his head. "It's getting worse," he admits. "I used to be able to control it more."

"That must be difficult," Yixing says sympathetically. Then he laughs, just a little. "I wonder what it says that you went out of control to defend Prince Han's honor."

Minseok has to smile at that. At least he got angry about something worthwhile this time. "Do you think the people will accept him again? If there are such terrible rumors floating around..."

"There are always rumors," Yixing answers, "and people are fickle." They're back at their room, and Yixing smiles at Minseok as he opens the door. "Let's get some rest and hope that everyone has forgotten us by morning."

 

 

***

 

It's boring waiting for the rest of their party to return, even with Baekhyun and Jongdae to liven things up, and it gives Han too much time to think. Between the curse and what's waiting for him at the castle, there's a lot he doesn't want to think too much about. He wishes he could have gone with Minseok and the others. He understands that it's best to be careful, but who's going to recognize him when they're still so far from the capital? Even there, people might not recognize him with his travel-worn clothes, shaggy hair and no guard. Only people who know him well will see a prince when they're not expecting one.

In any case, it's too late to argue that, so he's stuck waiting. They pass a lazy day, resting their legs, talking, and splashing in the tiny stream nearby. Baekhyun catches a squirrel and they roast it over the fire for dinner. "I guess they're not coming back today," Jongdae says as the sun dips low in the sky.

"I hope nothing happened." Han's not too worried—Minseok, Yixing and Kyungsoo can all take care of themselves—but it would be nice to know where they are and what they're doing.

"I'm sure they're fine," Baekhyun says cheerfully. "They're probably enjoying a break from us."

Han laughs. "Probably," Jongdae agrees.

When dinner is finished and they're settling down for the night, Jongdae asks, "Han, do you know how far we are from the capital?"

"I'm not sure. By the roads, it's around two and a half weeks journey to the northern border on foot. On our route, maybe three weeks, plus however long we wait here."

"Then we still have over two weeks to go," Jongdae says. "Do you know what you're going to do when we get there?"

It sounds like an idle question, but just thinking about that makes Han tense. "I'll have to find a way into the castle," he reluctantly answers. "And then hopefully my brother—Yunho, that is—will have an idea of what to do next." The idea they set out with is simply for Han to tell the truth of what happened, again, with Yunho's support. He'd like to believe that that will be enough, but he's worried.

"You'll figure it out," Baekhyun says, patting him on the back. "You've made it this far, right?"

"Right," Han agrees without much feeling.

"Don't you lose hope on us too," Jongdae chides, giving Han a friendly shove.

He's right, of course. If Han doesn't have hope for the future, what's the use in even going to the castle? There's nothing to be lost by being hopeful, and plenty to be gained. "I won't," he says. "I don't know how it'll happen, but I think we're going to be all right, all of us."

Jongdae and Baekhyun both grin at him, and Han smiles back. "That's the spirit," Jongdae says.

They settle down to sleep soon after, and Han wakes to something that has become almost familiar by now: Jongdae (this time) dealing with yet another change. "That's going to be interesting," he hears Baekhyun say as he rubs sleep from his eyes.

"What happened?" Han asks.

Jongdae lifts his leg and Han can see that where his right foot should be, there's a paw, plus a bit of fox leg connecting it to his human parts. It's much too small for his human leg, and Han wonders if he'll even be able to walk like that. He'll have to, because they still have a long way to go.

"It's so tiny," Baekhyun comments, holding his own paw next to it. The size difference is startling.

"Too bad we can't trade," Jongdae says. "That I could probably walk on without too much trouble." He's smiling, as usual, but Han is sure he must be worried. The changes are happening faster, and becoming more inconvenient.

"You'll manage," Baekhyun assures him. "If not, we'll make someone carry you. Not me, of course."

"Of course," Jongdae agrees, rolling his eyes.

Jongdae spends the morning awkwardly hobbling around, trying to figure out how to walk on his new paw. He can't put his full weight on it, so he ends up doing a hopping, limping kind of motion and falling down several times. "Maybe someone will need to carry me," he whines after the third fall, and doesn't try again.

Minseok, Yixing and Kyungsoo return in the early afternoon with weapons and food. "Look what I've got!" Jongdae declares, showing off his paw with feigned cheerfulness. Han looks at Minseok and sees the sadness deepen in his eyes. They can't break this curse soon enough, with how sad it's making Minseok and Jongdae (and Baekhyun too, though he's hiding it well at the moment).

For now, though, there's nothing to be done but get ready to continue on. Yixing helps Han put on his new sword belt, and then he pulls out the sword to look at it. It's a good weapon, but it feels strange to have a sword in his hand after so long, and stranger still to think about using it. He hopes it won't come to that, but even just thinking about it is not a good feeling.

"Any exciting news to report from your trip?" Baekhyun asks while they do that, eager to distract from Jongdae's situation.

"Not really," Minseok says. Yixing darts a glance at him like there's something he's not saying. He quickly averts his eyes, but not quickly enough for the rest of them to miss it.

"What?" Baekhyun presses. "We've been sitting here bored. You have to share."

"It's nothing. We just heard some people talking about Prince Yunho." Minseok looks uncomfortable, which worries Han.

"What about him?" he asks.

"Just rumors."

Yixing comes to Minseok's rescue, explaining, "It seems there are rumors circulating that Prince Yunho has been wanting to usurp the crown prince's position for himself. It may be that Prince Jeongsu planted those himself, to discredit Prince Yunho."

That's good reason to worry. His parents won't trust unfounded rumors, but in a situation where it's Han and Yunho's word against Jeongsu's without any proof, they may be influenced to believe him. Even if they aren't, between that and the rumors about Han's exile, will the people be willing to take him back? He'll just have to hope that, as long as the king and queen support him, the people will come around in time.

"Don't worry, highness," Yixing says. "They're only rumors. Prince Yunho has a strong reputation as an honorable man, and most people won't be so easily convinced. There are still only rumors of your exile as well, so once you come back, people will be quick to forget."

"Of course," Han says, with more conviction than he really feels. He looks around. "Are we ready to go, then?" 

Everything is put away and Minseok and Baekhyun have already shouldered their packs, but Jongdae is still sitting on the ground. He's forgotten to smile now, and he looks a little like he wants to cry. Jongdae's always so cheerful, so positive, that it seems terribly wrong for him to be upset.

"Here." Kyungsoo's voice is soft, as usual, but it falls into dead silence and they all turn to him. He walks over to Jongdae and holds out the staff he's been carrying.

Jongdae looks up, surprised, and then takes the staff from him. Planting it in the ground, he holds on tightly as he gets to his feet. He takes a few experimental steps, using the staff to support some of his weight, and doesn't fall. He turns back to Kyungsoo and smiles a genuine smile. "Thank you!" he says. Then, to the rest of them," What are we waiting for? Let's go."

 

***

 

To Minseok's surprise, Kyungsoo continues walking with them once they're all together, hanging back from Baekhyun and Jongdae (and Han and Yixing walking with them) but not disappearing on his own. Minseok stays back too, walking in silence at first. He watches Jongdae hobbling along, somewhat awkwardly, but with greater speed as he adjusts. It's a very strange thing, seeing Baekhyun and Jongdae adjust to one change after another. Minseok gets used to them too, to the point that their ears and tails and fur and so on have become familiar. He can't decide if that's a good thing or a bad thing.

He turns from that to watching Han, who looks a bit more princely with his new sword. Baekhyun slings an arm around his shoulders, laughing about something, and Minseok bristles. _Don't touch him,_ he thinks.

It only takes a moment this time for him to catch himself, to realize that the curse is at it again. He has no claim to Han now, and even if he did, Baekhyun doesn't mean anything by touching him. Still, knowing that doesn't make the feelings go away, only tells him that he needs to fight them.

To distract himself, Minseok asks Kyungsoo, "What kind of magic do you do?" The question startles the sorcerer, who was off in his own world, and Minseok adds, "If you don't mind my asking. We don't have to talk if you'd rather not."

"It's fine. But that's not an easy question to answer. The magic I use can be channeled into many different things, but it's all the same magic."

"It's different from dark magic, isn't it?" Minseok knows so little about magic beyond the curse and and the dark magic that affected Han.

"Yes," Kyungsoo says. "You could call it light magic, I suppose, but I just say 'magic.'"

That makes Minseok smile, though Kyungsoo doesn't seem to be joking. "And you can heal and fight and put charms on people with it?"

"Yes."

Kyungsoo doesn't say anything more than that, and in the silence that follows, Minseok starts to wonder if there's anything positive that magic could do for him. "Is there any charm that would help to control emotions?" he asks hesitantly. He doesn't want to talk about the curse, but he has to find out if there's a chance Kyungsoo could help.

Any hope he has is instantly crushed by Kyungsoo shaking his head. "The only ways I know of to control people's emotions are through dark magic, which is already the source of your problems. You should stay far away from that."

Minseok sighs heavily. "How can we win if the people who want to hurt us use any means necessary while we hold ourselves back?" He doesn't really mean it, but it's frustrating to feel like there's nothing he can do in against the curse, and he's worried about facing Han's brother too.

"There's nothing to be gained by using dark magic," Kyungsoo says.

"No? I think the crown prince and the man who cursed us got what they wanted," Minseok says.

"It remains to be seen how that will end for them. But regardless, the thing about dark magic is that it takes more than it gives. It hollows you out so that even if you get what you want, you only want more. They'll never be satisfied."

"If you're trying to make me feel better, you're not doing a very good job," Minseok says dryly.

Kyungsoo doesn't laugh, but he does smile faintly. "What I mean is that even if they win, they won't be happy. And they won't win." 

Minseok looks at Kyungsoo curiously, surprised by his conviction. "You sound very sure. Is there something you're not telling us?"

Kyungsoo shrugs. "I don't dream like Prince Han, but I have my own ways of knowing things. You can never be sure, but I believe it."

That's some comfort to Minseok, as vague as it is. "I hope you're right," he says.

 

Minseok is waiting, as they probably all are, to see what the next change will be for Baekhyun, but nothing happens that day, or all of the next day. The changes have been unpredictable, so there's no telling when it will happen, but Baekhyun is on edge waiting for it to happen. It's subtle, there in the increased volume of his voice or the slight wavering of his smile, but Minseok knows him well enough to see it.

Minseok is on watch that night, the last shift before morning, and the sky is just barely beginning to lighten when Baekhyun sits up. "What are you doing awake?" he asks, keeping his voice low so as not to wake anyone else up.

The firelight illuminates Baekhyun's frown. "I'm..." His expression is hard to read, but he sounds confused. "I feel strange."

"Strange how?" Minseok asks, worried.

Baekhyun puts his hand on his stomach. "I don't know. It hurts a little, but it's more...I think I'm hungry?"

"You ate plenty at dinner," Minseok points out.

"I think...something's different," Baekhyun says. "I wonder if something changed on the inside."

It's an unpleasant thought to contemplate, though it does make sense that it would happen sooner or later. "If you have a wolf stomach, you might have to change what you eat."

Baekhyun's grimace is pronounced enough that his fur can't hide it. "Does this mean I'll have to eat raw meat?" Minseok shrugs, but he suspects that if that's not the case yet, it will be. He hadn't considered that, and clearly Baekhyun hadn't either. "Isn't it enough?" Baekhyun asks. He's been putting on a brave front, but in the dark, with only Minseok to hear, he lets that slip. "I've got a paw and ears and fur everywhere and I've been dealing with it, but this is too much."

It hurts Minseok to hear Baekhyun sound so frustrated, and it hurts him more to not be able to do anything about it. "Don't you keep telling me we're going to break the curse?" he says, trying to be cheerful. "If you can just put up with it for a little while..."

Baekhyun sighs and flops back down onto his bedroll. "I'll put up with it. I'll put up with all of it. But I'm so..." He stops, gritting his teeth. "I've never hated someone the way I do the man who did this to us. I hope we never meet him because I don't know what I'd do."

_I'd kill him,_ Minseok thinks without hesitation, and a chill runs through him as he realizes that he means it. Would the man die with a smile on his face, knowing that he'd made Minseok what he wanted him to be? Minseok thinks it might be worth it, as long as he died. He deserves that and far worse for what he's put them through.

Baekhyun sits up again and eyes Minseok apprehensively, as if his thoughts are written all over his face. "I'm sorry," he says, sounding tired. "I shouldn't give up, but I just want it to be over already. I want to skip to the part where we're back to normal and Han is home and safe and we can just go back to the way things were."

"We'll get there," Minseok says with more confidence than he feels. He smiles comfortingly at Baekhyun, but on the inside, he's thinking that even if they do break the curse without anything too much worse happening, they'll never be able to go back to the carefree life they had before.

 

***

 

Baekhyun is uncharacteristically quiet the next morning, though as far as Han can see, he has no new wolf parts. Minseok is quiet too, but that's not unexpected from him. Jongdae tries to lighten the mood over breakfast but gives up once they start walking and he needs to focus on that challenge. Han, not knowing what to do with all the silence, goes to walk with Yixing.

"It's strange for it to be so quiet," Yixing comments. "Kyungsoo must be happy." He looks over at the sorcerer, who's walking alone a short distance away. He's continued traveling with them the last few days, though he's still not much for conversation, and it makes Han smile; they may yet win him over to the joys of human companionship.

"I'm glad someone is," Han says.

Yixing looks at him, concerned, as though he's still Han's manservant, there to fulfill his every need. Han hasn't asked much of him, accustomed now to doing things for himself, but Yixing is clearly prepared to do what he wants, despite the fact that he's Yunho's servant now. "Are you unhappy, highness?"

"I'm worried, that's all," Han answers. They're still some two weeks from the castle and things are changing fast. In his dreams, Baekhyun and Jongdae had changed completely, so won't be surprised if that happens, but he's worried for them. He's also dreading finding out what changing all the way will mean for Minseok.

Yixing studies him for a long moment before he says, "I apologize for asking again, but are you sure it's for the best to stay with them? We could go on by ourselves."

"I told you I'm not leaving them," Han says. He doesn't snap, but he unconsciously slips into a more commanding tone, the kind a servant would never argue with.

"I understand, highness. I'm sorry."

Han feels guilty as soon as he says it. Yixing is just trying to help. "I'm sorry you got caught up in all of this," he says. 

Yixing smiles. "It's my job to look after you, highness."

"I don't think following me halfway across the kingdom and dealing with curses and dark magic were part of the job description," Han says. "Not everyone would be brave enough for this." Yixing shakes his head, dismissing Han's compliment, but Han adds, "Thank you. I'm glad you're here."

"And I'll be here, highness," Yixing says, "until the end."

 

Baekhyun's almost back to his usual self by the time they stop for the night, to Han's relief. "I'm going to go see if I can catch something for our dinner," he declares, then goes off on his way.

Kyungsoo and Yixing go in search of firewood, while Jongdae, who's had enough of walking, organizes their camp. "You should see if there are any plants we could eat," Jongdae suggests to Han and Minseok. The weather has continued warming up, and there are green shoots springing up everywhere.

Han wanders around for a while before he has to admit that he has no idea what he's looking for. He does find a stream to drink from, but while he sees various plants, he doesn't know what's edible. Minseok may have taught him the basics of cooking, but it looks like he needs more lessons about green things before he'll be ready for food preparation in the spring.

The crack of a snapping branch makes Han jump, but then he sees that it's only Minseok. "You startled me." He laughs, but Minseok doesn't so much as smile. He's watching Han intently, and he looks...hungry, and not because they haven't eaten yet. "Did you find anything?" Han asks, more to fill the silence than anything else.

"Not yet." Minseok's expression doesn't change, and his eyes don't leave Han for a second. He walks forward one, two, three, four steps, until he's standing right in front of Han, holding his gaze the whole time. Han doesn't know what to think, when he and Minseok have been largely avoiding each other, but he can't look away.

"It's hard." Minseok's voice doesn't match his expression, soft and sad. "Being around you all the time and not being able to touch you, or kiss you. It's hard."

Han stares, not knowing how to respond. Until now, Minseok's been the one standing firm, however much Han struggled to hold himself back. Has he reached his limit at last, or is this something else? "I know," Han uncertainly agrees. "It's hard."

Minseok doesn't say anything more, but he leans subtly closer, little by little until suddenly they're kissing. It's not like that brief kiss back at the cabin, stiff and uncertain and over in a moment. It's more like the kisses they shared before, hot and intense. _What's going on?_ Han thinks, but he can't bring himself to stop. It feels so good to kiss Minseok again, to pretend for just a little while that everything is as simple as it was before he learned what the curse was doing to Minseok.

Han's breath catches when Minseok's hands land on his stomach. His jacket is open, so Minseok can easily drag his fingers down until he reaches Han's pants. Han's heart starts pounding, and he wonders, _Are we doing this?_ He does still want Minseok, but it seems like too much too suddenly when Minseok made it clear that they're done as long as the curse remains unbroken. Minseok's fingers linger there as they keep kissing, but then, abruptly, he jumps back. Han's heart sinks with the realization that he was right to worry that something was wrong. Minseok's eyes are wide, and now Han understands; it wasn't really Minseok who was kissing him. 

"I'm sorry," Minseok breathes, horror-stricken. "I'm sorry, I didn't...I don't..." He takes a step back, looking ready to bolt, but Han catches his arm to stop him. "No, please, let me..." Minseok begs, but he doesn't resist when Han pulls him into a crushing hug. "Han, please..."

"Don't be sorry," Han tells him. He's upset, because he wanted so badly for it to be real, but he's more upset with how wretched Minseok sounds now. "It's not your fault."

Minseok is actually trembling, and it's not cold enough to be because of that. "It's true," he says miserably. "It is hard. But I would never, not now... I didn't mean to do that. It wasn't me. I'm sorry."

"You don't have to apologize." Han holds on tight, as if by doing so, he can somehow protect Minseok from what's going on inside of him. "Just fight it. Promise me that you'll keep fighting as hard as you can, for as long as you can. Don't let it win."

"I am. I'm trying." At least Minseok has stopped shaking, but he still sounds upset. He takes a deep breath, lets it out, and asks, "Han?"

"Yes?"

"Can we just...forget for a minute?" 

He sounds so wistful that it breaks Han's heart. Han doesn't quite know what he means, but he answers, "Yes," without hesitation.

Minseok closes his eyes and leans into Han, breathing steadily. He seems calm and relaxed, but Han can only imagine what's going on in his head. He doesn't stay like that for long, but it feels like an eternity, the world narrowing down to just them. Han tries his best to forget for a little while, to just hold onto Minseok and to this moment. He lets himself imagine, for just a moment, that the curse is gone and there's only him and Minseok, free and happy again.

Finally, Minseok pulls out of his arms, standing in front of him. He looks more like the Minseok Han is used to now, none of that intense hunger, and not on the verge of crumbling either. He looks steady, and like this, Han can believe that he can hold out until they manage to break the curse. "Thank you," Minseok says quietly, and then, "I am sorry. Please don't let me do that again."

"I won't," Han says. He should have been stronger too; he should have known better. He won't make that mistake again.

"All right, then." Minseok even manages a smile, albeit a weak one. "Let's see if we can find some food."

 

***

 

Minseok has trouble sleeping that night, his mind heavy with thoughts of his encounter with Han. It's hard to understand how it happened. He does miss being closer to Han, and the impulses have been there, to smile at him like nothing has changed, to sit in his lap in front of the fire and feel Han's arms around him, to kiss him. It's been a struggle sometimes, but nothing he couldn't handle, until suddenly today he found himself looking at Han and not caring anymore if he hurt him. He didn't want to cuddle with Han or laugh with him; he wanted to touch Han and greedily take what he wanted. It's small comfort that it didn't get that far when he remembers clearly what it felt like to want that, and to be so indifferent to Han's feelings.

He finally dozes off shortly after Jongdae wakes up to take the second shift on watch, but his sleep is fitful. He dreams that he's walking through a world of darkness, and an unknown voice is calling his name—or is it many voices? He walks and walks, but there's no end to the darkness, and the voices never get any closer. _Why even try?_ the dream version of him thinks, and he stops and stands still in the darkness. The voices continue for a long time, but at last they fade away and it's only Minseok, alone, with darkness all around him.

"Minseok." He jerks awake to Jongdae shaking his shoulder, looking at him with concern. "It's not like you to sleep in."

"I'm fine." Minseok rubs his hand over his eyes. It feels like he didn't sleep at all, and the dream is fresh in his mind. He hopes he's not developing prophetic dreams too, because he doesn't want that to be real. It didn't feel like anything special, but it was unpleasant regardless.

"You look tired," Jongdae says more quietly.

"I'm _fine,_ " Minseok insists. There's no use worrying Jongdae by mentioning his dream, and he doesn't want to talk about what happened yesterday with everyone else around. He's not sure he wants to talk about it at all.

He reluctantly gets up, avoiding all the concerned looks sent his way, especially Han's. He needs to stay away from Han, if he can't trust his self-control. He should stay away from everyone, really, to minimize the risk that he'll hurt them. He doesn't know anymore what he might do.

Baekhyun is back to his usual talkative self today, which means that Jongdae talks too, and Han laughs with them, making it easy for Minseok to stay quietly out of the way. Kyungsoo is always quiet, and Yixing doesn't try to talk to him either today. Maybe it would be better to talk so he wouldn't have to think, but he doesn't want to risk it, and besides, he's tired. It takes enough effort just to put one foot in front of the other.

A few hours into their walking, Baekhyun breaks off mid-sentence with a surprised, "Oh." He, Han and Jongdae all stop walking, and Minseok catches up to them, afraid of what he'll see. 

He finds Jongdae, his face covered in fur, peeking under his shirt to see that there's fur there too. "I guess we match now," he says to Baekhyun, managing a smile. "My fur is nicer, though."

Baekhyun scoffs at that, and they bicker playfully as they start walking again. That's a relief, but Minseok is worried about the frequency of the changes. It's only been three days since Jongdae's foot changed, and about the same interval for the previous two changes. If this pace continues, it may not be long before they're fully changed. It's possible that there will be a reprieve, a long wait before the next step like they had before, but Minseok isn't optimistic. In Han's dreams, Baekhyun and Jongdae were fully changed before the curse was broken. If he was dreaming of the future, as they have to hope he was, it means they're likely to change completely before they reach the castle.

Again, Minseok wonders if he wouldn't be better off leaving the others before then. Kyungsoo did say that they shouldn't interpret Han's dreams literally. Maybe Minseok doesn't have to be there for the curse to be broken. It would be better that way, so he won't be a danger to his friends, and so they won't have to see what he becomes. It would be a risk for him to leave, but it's also a risk to stay. He doesn't know what the right choice is, but inertia keeps him here for now.

The rest of the day is uneventful, but that night, Baekhyun goes off on his own (in search of food, Minseok suspects), and returns with a nose like Jongdae's, flat in the middle of his face. "I hate to break it to you," he says, trying hard to pretend he doesn't care, "but you all smell. Please bathe."

Han laughs loudly, while Jongdae retorts, "So do you. I've been putting up with it for weeks, so don't complain."

Baekhyun just grins as he joins the rest of them. There's so little left of his familiar face, with fur everywhere, and the wolf eyes and nose, but his smile is still the same. That's some comfort, in spite of everything else, but Minseok can't quiet the voice in the back of his mind that asks, _And how long before that's gone too?_


	7. Chapter 7

Han dreams again that night, as much as he wishes he wouldn't. There's a positive side to the dreams, giving him hope that the curse will be broken, and that Jeongsu won't succeed in hurting him a second time, but they scare him too. He can't be sure what they mean, but it seems clear that things will get worse before they get better. He's especially afraid of the way he sees Minseok in his dreams, consumed by darkness, seemingly lost to the curse. He remembers all too clearly the hungry way Minseok looked at him the other night, and it makes him wonder how much of him has already been lost to that awful curse.

Minseok looks a bit like that in his dream tonight, but colder, like he could take what he wants from Han with no regrets. Han doesn't see Jeongsu this time, or anyone else, only Minseok, looming over him. Han's not watching from a distance, but right there, looking up at Minseok. "You're so trusting, little prince," Minseok says. "Haven't you learned? You can't trust anyone."

"I trust you," Han insists. "I know you."

"Do you? Tell me, who am I?"

"You're Minseok." Han speaks quickly, feeling desperate without knowing why. "You're kind, and you have such a sweet smile. You love your friends, and always take care of them. You try to protect them even if it hurts you, the same way you protected your parents by not telling them about the curse. You're a good person. I know you are!" There's darkness everywhere and Han's heart is racing. "Please, Minseok." _Please be Minseok._

But Minseok is smirking down at him, and tears well up in Han's eyes and spill over. "Please, Minseok," he echoes, more weakly. "I trust you. I believe in you. Please."

Minseok is silent for a long moment, and Han hopes against hope, but then he says, "Such a foolish little prince."

Han wakes with his heart still pounding, surprised to find that his eyes are dry. He sits up and breathes deeply trying to calm down. This was worse, in a way, than his other recent dreams, because there was no positive ending. There wasn't an ending at all, so it's not hopeless, but it worries him.

He looks around after a moment and finds that it's Jongdae on watch tonight, sitting by the fire. He smiles at Han but doesn't say anything, waiting for him to start a conversation if he wants to. Han isn't sure he wants to talk about what he saw, but maybe it'll feel better to get it out, and to have Jongdae reassure him that what he saw wasn't Minseok. "I had a dream," he says. "Not like before, exactly. It was only me and Minseok. He..." Han frowns, remembering. "He wasn't himself."

Jongdae's face falls at his words, and Han wonders if he shouldn't have said anything. "Maybe it was just an ordinary dream," Han hedges, but even if it was, it's not so different from what he saw in his previous dreams. He can't deny that Minseok is changing, and they must all be afraid of where he'll end up, Minseok included.

"I don't know," Jongdae says quietly, "but things are changing quickly now, for all three of us." He absently brushes his hand along the side of his face, feeling the fur there. "I keep telling myself it'll be all right in the end, but I'm worried." He smiles weakly. "I hope you were right about the curse being broken. And I hope we won't have to go through hell to get there." 

Han can only nod in response. That's all they have now, hope that things won't get so bad that there's no coming back from it. "Do you want to talk about it?" Jongdae asks after a moment.

Han considers, but the dream is already fading, and it seems best to just let it go. "No," he says. "Do you? Want to talk?"

Now Jongdae considers. "I don't know what to say. It feels like if I think too much, I'll get overwhelmed. Making jokes and talking about other things doesn't make our problems go away, but it keeps me from feeling hopeless."

"You're very strong," Han says. "You and Baekhyun. I don't think I could make everyone smile the way you do while going through so much."

"You do all right," Jongdae says with a smile. "Even if you don't always make us laugh on purpose."

"Hey!" Han protests. It's too loud for the middle of the night, and he clamps a hand over his mouth. Jongdae snickers, eyes twinkling with mirth.

Yixing stirs but doesn't wake up, rolling onto his side. For a moment, Han thinks he's safe, but then Minseok's eyes open. "Is it morning?" he asks groggily.

"No, it's the middle of the night." Jongdae's voice is soft, fond. "Han's just too loud. Go back to sleep."

Minseok doesn't listen, sitting up and stretching. "Sorry I woke you up," Han says meekly. He feels bad, but it's also something of a relief to see Minseok now, adorably sleepy and rumpled, and clearly not the person in Han's dreams.

"It's all right." Minseok hugs his knees to his chest. "Did something happen?" He looks at Jongdae, then back at Han. 

"Just talking," Jongdae says lightly.

"About what?" Minseok asks, unconvinced by the attempt to brush off the question.

Jongdae looks at Han, who reluctantly admits, "I had a dream."

A flicker of worry passes over Minseok's expression. "One of those dreams?"

"I don't know. Maybe." Han looks away, sure his face must give everything away. Then again, that reaction probably gives away just as much.

"About me?" Minseok's voice is quiet, betraying no particular emotion. Han fumbles for a good response, but before he finds one, Minseok says, "Forget it. You don't have to tell me."

"It was just a dream," Han says. He looks up again and finds Minseok hugging his legs more tightly, as if for comfort. "Even if it was that kind of dream, it's nothing new." That's true, mostly, but somehow it still felt worse, having Minseok say those things to him.

"You should both get back to sleep," Jongdae cuts in. "We'll have another long day tomorrow."

Minseok nods and lies down again, but his eyes are dark and sad. "Minseok?" Han blurts out, not even knowing what he wants to say. Minseok looks over at him, and so does Jongdae, making Han feel awkward. "I..." He hesitates, still searching for the right words. "It doesn't matter what I dream," he finally says. "I know who you are."

Silence stretches out long enough for Han to feel incredibly self-conscious, but finally, Minseok says, "Thank you." He glances over at Jongdae, and something passes between them that Han can't understand. "Whatever happens, I hope you won't forget the way we all were."

That's not what Han was trying to say, but he can't find the words to explain, so he only nods. "I will." As he lies down too, hoping he won't dream again, he thinks of his memories from back in the cabin, when they were all happier. _How could I?_

 

***

 

The next day passes without incident, aside from two close encounters with people that they easily avoid thanks to Baekhyun and Jongdae's heightened senses. Those will probably become more frequent as they approach the capital and the more heavily populated regions of the kingdom, but as long as they have people with heightened sight and smell and hearing in their party and stay off the beaten path, they should be all right. Even if someone does see them, it's only a threat if they recognize Han or react very badly to Baekhyun and Jongdae. Minseok doesn't know how likely either of those things are, but he'd prefer to avoid the risk as much as possible.

The next day is also quiet, so much so that Minseok finds himself wishing something would happen to break the monotony of travel. He should know better, when the only things likely to happen are bad, but they've been on the road for twelve days and counting and he's tired of walking and sleeping and walking and sleeping. _What else would you do?_ he asks himself. He fleetingly imagines going into a town to get some good food and perhaps find someone to share his bed for the night, but that's not like him at all. He shakes off the thought, and goes back to trudging along. 

There's perhaps two hours left before it will be time to stop for the night when suddenly Jongdae, walking a few steps ahead of Minseok, trips and tumbles to the ground. He's fallen a few times since his foot changed into a little fox paw, so Minseok doesn't think anything of it until he looks more closely and sees that something is wrong with Jongdae's legs. His pants are hanging loose like there's barely anything in them, and when Minseok comes up beside him, he sees that the same is true of his shirt sleeves.

"Jongdae? What happened?" Baekhyun asks, a tremor in his voice.

"I..." Jongdae fidgets, contorting awkwardly, and after a moment, Minseok realizes that he's trying to adjust his sleeves. He kneels next to Jongdae and pulls up one sleeve, revealing, as he feared it would, a full fox leg. Han does the same with one of his pant legs, pulling it up just enough to reveal that the situation is the same there. "Wow," Jongdae says weakly.

Minseok can understand why he's lost for words. His human torso is still there, but his arms and legs are completely changed, just like that. It's so big, and so abrupt, and if Minseok finds it unnerving to look at, he can only imagine what it feels like for Jongdae. Baekhyun is standing next to Jongdae, eyes wide, no doubt thinking that this is coming for him too.

"Can you stand?" Yixing asks. His eyes are wide too, but he sounds relatively calm. "Here, let me get your pack." With some difficulty, he pulls the straps over Jongdae's new front legs, so the large pack is no longer weighing him down, and pulls away the one shoe he was still wearing, which is no longer attached to anything.

Jongdae tries to get up, but promptly gets tangled in his clothes. His shirt sleeves are far too long, and he's practically drowning in his pants. "This is a problem," he says with a miserable little laugh, rolling onto his back. He waves his legs around, and it looks silly, but only Han laughs.

"We'll have to do something about your clothes," Minseok says. He's worried that won't solve the problem, considering the size difference between Jongdae's torso and his legs, but it's somewhere to start.

"Don't take off my pants," Jongdae whines. This time Baekhyun laughs too, but not with anywhere near the enthusiasm he normally would.

"We can cut them," Minseok suggests.

"Do we have to?"

"We'll get you new ones when the curse is broken," Han says, trying to offer comfort.

"These ones are old and sad-looking anyway," Baekhyun puts in.

"Be quiet," Jongdae grumbles without heat.

Since it's clear they won't be moving on quickly, they all sit down, and Minseok sets to work cutting Jongdae's pant legs while Yixing takes care of his shirt sleeves. He only looks stranger with his spindly little fox legs exposed, sticking out of his gaping pant legs. "So how ridiculous do I look?" Jongdae asks, catching Minseok staring. He's past the initial shock now, able to manage a small smile.

"Pretty ridiculous," Minseok confirms.

"I think it's cute!" Han says. "Your legs are so tiny."

"You're not helping," Jongdae says, but his widening smile belies his words.

When they're done, Yixing gathers the fabric scraps, folding them and putting them in his pack, while Jongdae makes a second attempt at standing. He has some trouble getting back over on his front, and Baekhyun tries to help him, but he says, "Stop. Let me do it."

Minseok doesn't want to stare, but he can't help it. It's fascinating, in an unpleasant kind of way, watching this strange creature Jongdae's become figure out how to function with his new body. It's a struggle, but he does finally manage to stand up on unsteady legs. "How is it?" Baekhyun asks.

Jongdae cocks his head, considering, and wiggles around a little to test his balance. "I might not be very fast, but I can do it." He takes a few ungainly steps, smoothing out somewhat once he gets the hang of it. "I don't think I can carry my pack, though."

"We'll take care of it," Han says. They quickly distribute the items in Jongdae's pack among the rest of them, leaving the bag itself on the ground. Kyungsoo picks up his staff, which is no longer of any use to Jongdae. With that done, they head on their way again.

Their pace is a little slower now, adjusting to Jongdae, but not enough to be concerned about. Minseok watches Jongdae, trotting along between Baekhyun and Han. It looks bizarre to see someone in a shirt and cut-off pants walking like an animal, his tail sticking out behind him. Jongdae's still human body is too big for his fox legs and it's a wonder they can hold him up, but they must be stronger than they look. _It won't last anyway, will it?_ Minseok thinks. He doesn't want to look forward to the next change, but given Jongdae's current state, it might be better for it to come quickly.

There's not much talking as they continue on, with Jongdae focused on staying upright and Baekhyun thinking who knows what. It's nearly time to stop when Minseok is startled by a loud cry, and before he knows it, Baekhyun is on the ground. "You've got to be kidding me," Baekhyun groans.

"You too?" Jongdae asks.

"Me too, I think."

Baekhyun is better off than Jongdae, with his longer and larger wolf legs, but he has the added complication of one very human foot on his back right leg. "You just can't do anything but laugh sometimes, can you?" Baekhyun says while Minseok adjusts his clothes. The others have started making camp, since it seems they won't be making any more progress today, but Jongdae is sitting next to them; it's not as if he'll be of much use, now that he no longer has hands.

"You do look laughable," Jongdae says helpfully.

"You're one to talk," Baekhyun shoots back.

"I think you got the better part of this deal," Jongdae grumbles as Baekhyun's legs are exposed. "I never really thought about how small foxes are."

"You'll be cuter, though," Minseok says. Baekhyun and Jongdae both look surprised by his comment. Has he been such poor company lately, Minseok wonders. It used to be normal for him to jump into Baekhyun and Jongdae's banter here and there.

"I will be, won't I?" Jongdae belatedly agrees.

Baekhyun smiles, but his lips quickly turn downward. "We're still us, aren't we?" he says quietly. "Some things don't change."

"Of course not," Jongdae says firmly. "We'll always be friends, whatever happens to us." Despite his confident words, he can't help flicking a glance over in Minseok's direction.

Minseok doesn't share their confidence, not when he's changing in very different ways, but now is not the time to say that. His friends need him to be strong and positive, or at least to pretend that he is. He smiles as convincingly as he can and says, "That's right. No matter what happens."

 

***

 

There's a distinct shift in the atmosphere after Baekhyun and Jongdae's latest change. They still chatter in the mornings and evenings, perhaps even more so because they can't help build a fire or cook a meal, but they're mostly quiet on the road. Minseok has been quiet for a while now, and Yixing is too polite to force a conversation, while Kyungsoo would probably be perfectly content if no one talked all day long. That leaves Han, who's always been better at enthusiastic listening than talking. He doesn't have any of the talent Baekhyun and Jongdae do for lifting the mood, at least not intentionally.

The quiet makes Han uncomfortable, but he reminds himself that he can't expect Baekhyun and Jongdae to worry about everyone else in their current situation. They've already put a lot of effort into cheering everyone else up despite their own struggles; they deserve to be able to focus on themselves now, and to do what they need to get through the day. Han will just have to get used to it. He hopes, at least, that it won't be for long. Once the curse is broken, they'll be back to their usual happy selves.

Han has a dream that night, but it's nothing like the others. He sees Baekhyun and Jongdae, both fully human, and Minseok with his back to him. He's not sure where they are, but it looks like it might be a room in the castle. Baekhyun is protesting something that Jongdae or Minseok said and they're all laughing when Han comes in and wraps his arms around Minseok from behind. Minseok leans back to look at him, a big smile on his face. "Hello," he says.

That's the whole dream, and Han wakes up wishing there was more but feeling happy nevertheless. That happiness lingers for a few seconds until he hears a sound of distress. It sounds like a scream, but too high pitched to belong to any member of their group. It doesn't even sound human—and then it sinks in and he realizes what must have happened during the night. _Oh no._

The others must have realized at the same time, because he hears Baekhyun ask, "What happened?" his own voice high and strained, and Minseok say, "Jongdae?"

Han scrambles to his feet and sees that Jongdae still has his human body, but there's a snout where his human mouth used to be, with the fox nose he's had for a while at the end of it. His eyes, the last distinctly human part of his face, are wide, and he's making little whining noises now. Minseok is kneeling next to him, his hand on Jongdae's head. "It's all right," he says, empty words of comfort. "You'll be all right."

Suddenly, Baekhyun moves, startling them all by running away from their camp. Jongdae looks up, watching him go, and Minseok hesitates, unsure of what to do. "I'll go after him," Han finds himself saying. Minseok should stay with Jongdae, and Yixing and Kyungsoo don't know Baekhyun as well as he does. He doesn't know what he'll do, but if Baekhyun's upset, he can't leave him alone.

They slept in a broad open field, so there's nowhere for Baekhyun to hide among the barely growing grass. Han finds him easily, jogging over and sitting down beside him. Baekhyun is breathing hard, in short gasps, like he's panicking, and he has that sad puppy look in his eyes, which Han didn't think wolves could do. "Are you all right?" he asks, despite the obvious answer.

"I knew it was coming," Baekhyun says between gasps. His chest is heaving and Han is really worried about him. He's never seen Baekhyun like this, or imagined he could be like this. "Sooner or later, I knew it was going to happen, but I can't. Take my eyes and my ears and my nose, I don't care. I'm dealing with these legs and even with craving raw meat, but don't take my voice. It's too much, too much, too much." His voice is choked up like he wants to cry, but can wolves cry? It doesn't look like it.

Han doesn't begin to know how to respond to that, but he rubs Baekhyun's back comfortingly, hoping to help him calm down. "I'm sorry," he says. "I wish I could stop it."

"It's not even me and I can't handle it," Baekhyun says miserably. "I'm scared to go back there and help Jongdae because if I see him, I'll think about how it's going to happen to me. I'm pathetic."

"You're not," Han insists. "You and Jongdae both, you've been keeping everyone's spirits up, but you don't have to be like that all the time. You can be scared."

"I hate being scared. I never used to be scared of anything, you know, and now I'm..." The worst of Baekhyun's panic seems to have passed, his breathing slowing down, but he sounds so dejected. What can Han say to make it better? There isn't any way to do that, except for breaking the curse.

"We'll be at the castle in ten days, maybe less," Han says. "We'll find some way to break the curse there, I know it. You probably will lose your mouth before then, and I'm sorry, I know that's awful, but it won't be forever. It won't be for long. You've been really brave until now. Can you do it for just a little longer?"

"I don't have a choice, do I?" Baekhyun gives a very human sigh, though the way he puts he rests his chin on his front legs reminds Han of the dogs at the castle. "Do you really believe we'll break the curse, Han?"

He's surprised to hear Baekhyun questioning it, but that's a good indication of how much he's struggling now. Han's earlier dream, driven out of his mind by the commotion, comes back to him, and he has to smile. It could have been an ordinary dream rather than a hint of the future ahead of them, but it's a good indication that he still believes. It's something to look forward to, however dark the present looks. He can't give Baekhyun that hope, but he can do his best to believe even if everyone else is feeling hopeless. "I know you will."

 

***

 

They get a late start that morning, understandable given how the day started. Baekhyun has recovered from his earlier panic, but he's quiet. Of course Jongdae is too, and no one else tries to talk. Any conversation they could have now would either be too serious or feel like they're ignoring the problems right in front of their faces. It's easier to say nothing than to find the right thing to say.

Unfortunately, that leaves Minseok with plenty of time to think, and that's the last thing he needs. The events of that morning are burned in his mind: Jongdae's wide, scared eyes and helpless whining, and Baekhyun's uncharacteristic terror. He's felt the endpoint of the curse looming over them for a while now, but with the last few changes, it suddenly feels much closer. There are only a few pieces left before Jongdae and Baekhyun are fully changed, and presumably the same is true for Minseok. He's afraid to look inside himself and see how far gone he is.

Thinking about that makes him feel a lot of things, but right now, he's mostly angry, at the man who did this to them, and at the world that is continuing on as usual without a care about what happens to them. He's angry at Han and Yixing and Kyungsoo for their untouched bodies and minds, and he's even angry at Baekhyun and Jongdae for forcing him to stay. If they'd let him leave, he wouldn't have to watch them change and deal with the guilt of not being able to help, and he wouldn't have to be afraid of what he might do to them. Why couldn't they just let him go?

The flash of anger at that last thought is so strong that it startles Minseok, and makes him realize that the part of him affected by the curse is taking control again. He _is_ angry, and he has reason to be, but not like this, not so angry that he wants to burn the world down around him. That's not who he is, or at least it shouldn't be—but that thought only makes him angrier.

He's glad when they finally stop for the night so he can escape his thoughts with sleep, if nothing else. Minseok sets to work building a fire while the others go in search of food, water and more firewood, except for Baekhyun and Jongdae, who sit down a short distance away. "I'm sorry," Minseok hears Baekhyun say, "About this morning. I should have stayed with you."

Minseok doesn't see what Jongdae does to respond, but he can guess the sentiment behind it; Jongdae would never want Baekhyun to feel guilty for being upset.

"I'm going to keep bothering you for as long as I can talk," Baekhyun says, gruff in the way that means he's fighting his emotions. "And when I can't do that, I'll make wolf noises at you. We're in this together until the end. Right, Minseok?"

Minseok's not expecting the question, and he feels a stab of guilt as he remembers his earlier thoughts. He can't very well say that he wishes they'd let him go, not now, so he answers, "Right. Until the end."

"And it'll be a good end," Baekhyun says firmly. "We deserve a really good ending for putting up with all of this."

"That's right," Minseok agrees, but he can't help wondering if it makes a difference what they deserve. They didn't deserve any of this.

 

***

 

Han sleeps soundly, without any troubling dreams, but he doesn't want to open his eyes in the morning, afraid of what he might see. If Baekhyun woke up in the same state as Jongdae, it's going to be a difficult day for all of them—but that's a selfish thought. If Baekhyun is dealing with another change, Han should be there to help, not want to run away. 

He sits up and opens his eyes and does find Baekhyun changed, but it's not his mouth, thankfully. It's hard to see because he's still wearing his cut-off shirt and pants, but Han thinks his entire body has changed now, leaving only his mouth and that one foot. Baekhyun seems to be trying to figure out what's happening too, pawing ineffectually at his shirt. "Help me out?" he asks when he sees Han looking at him. Jongdae is up too, sitting next to him, and so is Kyungsoo, but Yixing and Minseok, who were on watch during the night, are still asleep.

"What do you need?" Han asks.

"I can't tell exactly what's different," Baekhyun explains. "Can you help me take off my shirt?" Jongdae makes a noise that sounds strangely like a laugh. "What?" Baekhyun protests. "We're all men here." 

Jongdae's eyes are twinkling, but Baekhyun ignores him. He lies on his side while Han unbuttons his shirt, exposing all the fur underneath. The fur was there before, so it doesn't mean much, but Han can see that the shape of his torso has changed, fitting better with his wolf legs. "I look nice, don't I?" Baekhyun laughs. "Don't tell Minseok I'm flirting with you."

"Are you?" Han asks, confused, which makes Baekhyun laugh louder.

"Of course not, but it's too fun to play with you." Baekhyun grins cheekily.

Han rolls his eyes, but he smiles too. It's probably the truth, and besides, it's nice to see Baekhyun smiling. "Do you want your shirt all the way off?" he asks.

Baekhyun considers only briefly. "I guess so. It seems silly to wear clothes at this point."

"Are you going to take your pants off too?"

Jongdae doesn't have eyebrows to raise, but the tufts of fur above his eyes go up. "You be quiet," Baekhyun says. To Han, he answers, "Sure. Let's just get it over with."

If Han thinks about it, it's very strange for him to be taking Baekhyun's clothes off while Jongdae watches, so he doesn't think about it. He's gotten Baekhyun's belt, with his knife attached in back, off and is just starting to pull his pants down when Minseok's sleepy voice asks, "What are you doing?"

Jongdae makes that laugh-like noise again, and Baekhyun snickers. "I've decided to embrace my animal self and stop wearing clothes," Baekhyun explains. "Han was helping me out since I inconveniently don't have fingers anymore."

"I see." Minseok doesn't sound amused. He sounds...Han isn't exactly sure what emotion he's hearing in Minseok's voice. Jongdae seems to have a better idea, judging by the way he goes over and nudges Minseok's leg with his snout. Minseok looks down for a moment, then scratches Jongdae's head and doesn't say anything more.

Han turns back to the task at hand, pulling Baekhyun's pants down over his skinnier legs and off. "There," he says once Baekhyun has stepped out of them. "Better?"

"I feel very free." Baekhyun sounds a little embarrassed, but mostly amused. "I hope I'm not going to scandalize anyone."

"We've seen worse," Minseok says dryly. Whatever he was feeling earlier, it's gone from his voice now. "Let's get moving, then."

The day passes slowly, since there's not much conversation, but the atmosphere feels less strained than the day before, at least to Han. Baekhyun is light on his feet with his new wolf body, despite his remaining human foot, and while Jongdae is still lumbering awkwardly along, he's not drooping like yesterday. Han is worried about Minseok, who's lost in thought all day long, his face unreadable, but he's been worried about Minseok since before they set out for the castle. That won't go away any time soon, not until they break the curse.

Two more days pass in much the same way before Jongdae wakes up with a fox body. Han has the last watch of the night, but he doesn't even notice that anything has changed until Baekhyun wakes up and starts laughing, and Han sees Jongdae swimming in his clothes. He looks cute and ridiculous at the same time, making Han laugh too. "Do you need some help?" he asks.

"You're getting to be quite the professional at this, aren't you?" Baekhyun teases.

Han gets up to move closer to Jongdae, but he's only taken two steps when Minseok says, "I'll do it," strangely sharp. Han hadn't realized Minseok was awake yet, but his eyes are clear like he's been awake for a while already. He was sleeping next to Jongdae, so he only has to sit up, and Han leaves him to the task of helping Jongdae with his clothes. "Do you want everything off too?" Minseok asks. 

Jongdae does something with his head that might be intended as a shrug, but Han isn't sure. Minseok seems equally confused. "Is that a yes?" Now Jongdae nods, which looks strange in his current state but is easier to interpret. 

Han watches Minseok's hands for a few seconds as he unbuttons Jongdae's shirt, then thinks he probably shouldn't stare and looks at Minseok's face instead. His lips are pressed together, probably unconsciously, and Han wonders what he's thinking. Does he feel guilty about the state his friends are in? Does he feel scared about what's ahead for him? Does he feel something darker, or nothing much at all anymore? There's no doubt where Jongdae and Baekhyun are headed, now that the end of the curse is so near, but Han still can't tell what the end will be for Minseok. Remembering all his dreams, especially the last one, where Minseok mocked Han's trust in him, he's very afraid to find out. He has to hope that part of his dreams in particular can't be taken literally.

Jongdae moves much more easily with his small fox body, trotting nimbly along with his tail sticking out behind him. He's more agile at this point than Baekhyun, who still has his one human foot, but they're both doing better than before. It's not exactly good that they've changed so much, but compared to the awkward middle stages, they seem more comfortable, physically, and look less strange now that they're mostly fox and wolf.

The next day, Han wakes up to Baekhyun with four wolf paws, but that's not unexpected; what does surprise him is that Baekhyun's head is resting on Kyungsoo's thigh, and Kyungsoo is absently stroking his neck. _When did that happen?_ he wonders. It wasn't long ago that Kyungsoo was threatening to turn Baekhyun into a toad for pestering him, and he's complained repeatedly about Baekhyun being loud. Maybe now that Baekhyun's quieter, weighed down by his worries and without Jongdae to play off of, Kyungsoo likes him better, or maybe he's gone soft after all this time together. Whatever the reason, it makes Han smile.

Yixing wakes up with a quiet, "Good morning," and Kyungsoo ever so slightly jumps. His hand stills on Baekhyun's neck, but he doesn't try to pull away and pretend it was never there.

Han thought Baekhyun was asleep, but now he turns his head and says, "Good morning!" He grins up at Kyungsoo, whose only response is a cool look, before getting to his feet. He tests out his new paw, running around. It's strange to watch, because he looks almost like a wolf now, but where he should have a snout and a wolf mouth, he has a very human mouth, grinning.

Minseok is the last to wake up today, looking tired. He doesn't seem annoyed today, just world-weary. He looks over at Baekhyun, who's now playfully swiping at Jongdae with his paws, and presses his lips together, then looks away. Han wonders, as he has so often lately, what he's thinking, and if something has changed in him too. All that remains from before the curse for Baekhyun is his mouth, as far as Han can see, and for Jongdae, his eyes. What are the last pieces of Minseok still hanging on? It's so hard for Han to tell.

"Good morning," he says, smiling at Minseok like there's nothing to worry about.

"Morning." Minseok's voice is flat and empty and Han is scared, but then he smiles, just barely, and hope returns. Han can't see what's going on inside of Minseok, how much of the person he knew is left, but he knows that Minseok is strong. He'll fight against the parts of him that have changed for as long as he can, and Han just has to believe that will be enough. _Only a little longer,_ he thinks, wishing he could send his own strength to Minseok. _Hold on._

 

***

 

Baekhyun and Jongdae both seemed cheerful enough in the morning, all things considered, but everyone's mood drops as they plod along, despite the sunny day and the increasing signs of spring around them. Minseok watches Baekhyun and Jongdae walking ahead, seeing how his friends are almost gone. Unless they still have some internal human parts that he can't see, or some subtle differences in bone structure, there's probably one change left and that will be it. Is there only one piece left of him too?

_I should leave,_ Minseok thinks yet again. _We're done. What's the point in staying?_ Oh, sure, there's still Han's dreams and the possibility of the curse breaking to consider, but why wait around for something that might not even happen? It's pointless for Minseok to be here, watching and waiting for the end, whatever that may be. Better to go somewhere, anywhere else. If the curse breaks, then he can come back. If it doesn't, there's nothing to be gained by him staying here. He's tired of all of this.

He looks at Baekhyun and Jongdae again, and it takes a long moment for him to register that this apathy he's feeling, this disregard for his promises to stay with his friends is probably the curse again. Jongdae and Baekhyun have stubbornly refused to abandon him no matter what he did, and no matter how scared they must be. How could he even think of abandoning them? He promised Baekhyun that he would stay, and he promised Han he would fight. For as long as there's still a part of him left, he can't break those promises.

 

Over dinner that night, Baekhyun asks, "Are we getting close to the castle? It feels like we've been walking forever."

Han looks at Yixing like he has no idea. "I would estimate three more days at this pace," Yixing says. "I thought perhaps tomorrow I would hurry on ahead so I can speak to Prince Yunho and discuss how you can best meet with him."

"Are we all going into the castle?" Baekhyun asks, surprised. They hadn't planned that far ahead, but it seems to Minseok that two extra humans, a wolf and a fox will make it more difficult for Han to enter the palace unnoticed. On the other hand, if there's danger there, he may need their help.

Now, Yixing looks to Han for an answer, and he flounders. "I don't know. It depends on where I plan to meet Yunho, and what the situation is at the castle. I can't ask you to come with me into danger."

"Don't be silly," Baekhyun retorts. "What are friends for? And you are our prince, after all."

"Suddenly you remember," Han scoffs. He's smiling, but he quickly turns serious again. "I don't know what we'll face there. Yixing has been gone a long time, so the situation may have escalated since he left. If that's the case...we'll have to think about what we can do."

He looks scared, so unprincely that it irritates Minseok. "You're weak," he mutters.

"What?" Han gives him a wounded look, which only proves Minseok's point. What business does a prince have being so easily hurt?

"You're weak," he repeats, enunciating so Han can't miss a word. "You're a prince, a grown man, and here you are looking like a scared little boy. No wonder your brother had such an easy time getting rid of you."

"Minseok," Baekhyun says sharply, and Jongdae nudges him with his snout, but Minseok ignores them.

"How can you be so innocent, so trusting? There's dark magic at play here, and you won't defeat it by closing your eyes and hoping it goes away."

"Who says that's what I'm doing?" Han retorts. "Do you think I don't know what dark magic can do?"

"And what will _you_ do, prince?" Minseok asks. "How will you defeat it?"

"I don't know!" Han bursts out. His eyes are wide, and _oh. Oh no._ Minseok realizes with an abrupt stab of guilt that he lost himself again.

"I'm sorry." It's an awful feeling, losing control and realizing too late what horrible things he said. "I...I'm sorry."

Han looks at him for a long moment, and his anger fades, but the hurt doesn't go away. "Forget it," he says quietly. "But you're right. I don't know how to defeat dark magic." He looks at Kyungsoo. "Is it possible? If my brother has become stronger, what can we do?"

"It takes time to master magic," Kyungsoo says, "dark or otherwise. The magic that caused your fever was quite elementary. No doubt your brother is stronger now, but he's not undefeatable. Besides, even a sorcerer is still human. He can be killed."

Han gasps, as though he hadn't realized that killing his brother is likely to be necessary. Minseok feels another flash of irritation, but he fights it this time and keeps his mouth shut. He's not being fair to Han, who's in a difficult and frightening situation.

"We can make a plan after I speak with Prince Yunho," Yixing says. "I would hope that we can find a solution without killing the crown prince, but if it comes to that, we'll find a way to do it. Don't worry, highness."

"Remember your dreams," Baekhyun puts in, trying to cheer Han up. "That has to mean something. We don't know how we'll win yet, but we will. You'll see."

Han smiles weakly. "Of course. We'll find a way."

 

Minseok volunteers to take the first watch that night because he doesn't think he'll be able to fall asleep any time soon. He has too much on his mind to let sleep take him. He can't put the way Han looked at him out of his mind. Han has believed in him so much, trusted him even when he had good reason not to, and this is what it's earned him. He thinks back to the way Han asked if they could try again when this is all over. At this rate, by the time it's all over, he won't want anything to do with Minseok.

Minseok is startled (some watch he's keeping) by something nudging against his thigh, and he looks down to find Jongdae standing next to him. He sits down, resting his chin on Minseok's leg, and looks up at him like he knows everything Minseok is thinking. He probably does; they've been friends for a very long time. Minseok sighs and puts his hand on Jongdae's head, scratching between his ears like Jongdae is his pet. He's not at all surprised when Jongdae leans into the touch.

"I'm scared," Minseok says quietly. It's easier to admit it without Jongdae looking at him, so he keeps petting Jongdae's head. It's comforting, in a way, if he doesn't think too hard. "I feel myself slipping away, and it's getting harder and harder to control those bad parts. I don't know what will happen when the last few pieces of me are gone."

He wishes Jongdae could talk, as if there's anything he could say that would make the situation less frightening, but all he can do is bump his head into Minseok's hand and look at him with sympathy in those very familiar eyes.

"I'm afraid I'll do something I can't take back. I'm afraid I'll hurt someone. If..." Minseok hasn't thought about this before—he hasn't dared to—but the words come tumbling out now. "If it gets to the end, and I feel like I might lose control... If I'm going to be a danger to the rest of you, I might—"

Jongdae growls, cutting Minseok off before he can finish the thought, and glares at Minseok, making his thoughts abundantly clear. Minseok can almost hear him saying, _Don't you dare. Don't even think about giving up._

"I want to believe that we'll break the curse soon," Minseok says. Jongdae has gone quiet again, but he's still eyeing Minseok sharply. "I want to believe that everything will work out in the end. But I'm really scared." That's a negative emotion, but Minseok doesn't think it's the curse. It's the last lingering part of himself, afraid of what it's trapped inside of him with.

Jongdae looks sad, but somehow, even with only his eyes to read emotion in, he still looks hopeful. How can he still have hope, after everything? 

"I hope you're right," Minseok says, as if Jongdae spoke. "I hope..." He sighs. "Thank you." He's thought so many times that it would be better for him to leave, but in this moment, he can't imagine going through this alone. He gives Jongdae's head another scratch, looks off into the darkness beyond the fire and tries as hard as he can to find some real shred of hope.

 

***

 

When Han wakes up in the morning, there's a wolf sleeping on one side of Minseok and a fox asleep with his head on Minseok's leg. Baekhyun has a snout now, and while Jongdae's eyes are closed, they're two slits with fur all around and Han expects to see the change clearly once Jongdae is awake. _So this is it,_ Han thinks. He watches Minseok sleep, remembering his cruel words the night before. When Minseok wakes up, will he still be Minseok? Or is there nothing left of him either? Will he even stay with them if he's no longer Minseok?

"If I hadn't seen the change with my own eyes, I wouldn't believe that they're human," Yixing comments. His tone is casual, but his expression is sympathetic. "I think I'll try to get an early start. If I hurry, I should be able to make it to the castle by tomorrow morning. Will you be all right here without me, highness?"

Han smiles. There's no use in worrying Yixing when there's nothing he can do. "Of course. Go ahead. Give Yunho my regards."

"I will, highness. Be safe." Yixing, who took the last watch, already has his bag packed. He gets up, hoisting his pack onto his shoulders. "Do you remember that large clearing in the woods south of the city where we liked to rest when we went hunting? Why don't I meet you there? You should have an easy time finding me with those two along." He gestures toward Baekhyun and Jongdae. "Please tell everyone..." He hesitates, searching for the right words, and finally concludes, "Tell them I'll see you all soon."

Han nods. "We'll be there before you, I suspect, so we'll look out for you. Safe travels."

Yixing is out of sight before Baekhyun stirs awake, followed shortly after by Minseok and Jongdae. Baekhyun is calmer than Han feared he might be after losing his human mouth, perhaps because he's had time to get used to the idea. Still, he's slow to get up, so though weighted down by sadness. Minseok looks tired again, and Han thinks Jongdae does too, but he's not quite sure what tiredness looks like on a fox. "Good morning," Han says, smiling tentatively. 

Baekhyun and Jongdae respond with nods, but Minseok says nothing. That worries Han, and Baekhyun and Jongdae also look up at Minseok. "Morning," he answers belatedly, without looking at Han. His flat tone isn't much comfort, and Minseok must realize that, because he looks up and reluctantly meets Han's eyes. He looks worn out, but he still, to Han's immense relief, looks like Minseok. "Did Yixing leave?"

"Yes, a little while ago. He's going to hurry ahead so he can make it to the palace and come back and meet us in a place we both know."

Minseok nods and says nothing. Once Kyungsoo wakes up, they eat breakfast and gather their things, setting off on their way. With Yixing gone and Baekhyun no longer able to talk, the silence is deafening, and Han feels incredibly uncomfortable. He can't stop darting glances over at Minseok, searching for a sign that something has changed. It has to be coming, if it hasn't happened already, but what will the change look like? Who will Minseok be when the curse has taken everything from him? Han remembers the way Minseok looked in his dreams and shivers despite the warm air. Maybe he was wrong to tell Yixing that they would be all right while he was away.

Nothing changes, that Han can see, over the course of the day, but how would he see it if something did change? With Minseok silent, eyes on the ground, there's no way to know what's going on inside of him. Han notices that Kyungsoo is watching Minseok too, and he wonders if the sorcerer can see something he can't. Whatever he sees when he looks at Minseok, he says nothing. Han hopes that means there's nothing to worry about.

Jongdae and Baekhyun stick close to Minseok that night, clearly concerned. They can't speak, and rather than trying to express themselves with the sounds they can make, they poke Minseok with their snouts and nudge him with their paws until he bursts out, "I'm _fine_ ," loud enough to make Han jump. He flashes Han a sheepish look, for only a second before he looks away. "Don't fuss," he says more quietly. "It doesn't help." Despite his protests, he doesn't object when Jongdae and Baekhyun lie down close to him to sleep.

Kyungsoo takes the first watch, so Han also goes to sleep, and it feels like he's barely closed his eyes before he's dreaming, darkness everywhere. _Oh no._ He doesn't want to dream about Minseok again, not after how cruel he was the last time.

When a patch clears in the darkness, it's not Minseok but Jeongsu, his face twisted in anger. "Why can't I be rid of you?" he yells. "I didn't want this!" He's furious, but strangely, he seems...hurt? Unhappy? Han doesn't understand when he didn't seem that way in any previous dreams.

Han's heart sinks when Minseok appears opposite Jeongsu. _Please,_ he thinks, though he knows it's futile. Nothing in these dreams seems to be under his control. Minseok is silent, only standing there, his expression as blank as it was for most of the day today.

Last to appear is Han himself, in between Minseok and his brother. The darkness pulses back and forth between them with Han caught in the middle, swaying with the waves of it, helpless. Han watches in horror as, instead of flowing into Jeongsu like in his previous dreams, the darkness disappears into Minseok's body. He turns to Han, eyeing him with cold disdain, and Han's heart races. _No no no. It's not possible. It's not supposed to happen like this._

"Minseok, stop," the Han in the dream pleads. "You have to fight it. Please stop."

Minseok laughs, that same uncaring laugh Han has heard in his dreams before and hopes never to hear in reality. "There's nothing left to fight."

_This can't be right,_ Han thinks desperately. _It can't be._

Then, with shocking suddenness, the darkness reappears, flowing out of Minseok and into Jeongsu so quickly Han would think he imagined it, except that there's a burst of light and Jeongsu disappears.

"Minseok?" Han in the dream asks, his voice shaking.

Han wakes up before he can hear Minseok's response. He has to blink back tears when he opens his eyes, shaken and upset by what he saw. The end result was probably the same, but what happened before that was worse than anything he's seen so far. He dreads to think what it means.

"Another dream?" Kyungsoo's soft voice interrupts the way Han's thoughts are tumbling over each other.

Han can't go back to sleep like this, so he sits up. "Yes. It ended the same way, but it was worse than before. Do you think the situation changed? Is that possible, with these kinds of dreams?"

"It's unlikely," Kyungsoo says, which is some small comfort. "What's more likely is that you saw more or different details than you did before. It was always going to happen that way—whatever way the dreams are hinting at—but you didn't see it all until now."

"It was terrible. It..." Han shakes his head. He doesn't want to say what he saw out loud, as if that will make it real. "I don't want that to happen."

"You can't stop it," Kyungsoo says, sympathetic but firm. "That's not the point of dreams like yours, to change the future. If you try, you may well make it worse."

That, on the other hand, is no comfort at all. "What's the point in anything then, if it's all decided? Why try so hard to do the right thing?"

The look Kyungsoo fixes him with isn't judgmental, but somehow it makes Han feel guilty all the same. "Trying to do the right thing is what will bring about that future that you saw. It may be difficult and even painful, but if you want to break the curse and defeat your brother, that's what you need to do."

"You sound very sure," Han says. He doesn't feel sure of anything anymore.

A hint of a wry smile plays over Kyungsoo's lips. "There are many things I'm not sure of in the world, but I believe in magic, and I believe in you. All of you."

Han is touched, though he doesn't understand the source of Kyungsoo's confidence. "Thank you. I hope..." Han sighs heavily. "I hope you're right."

 

***

 

The first thing Minseok thinks when he wakes up is _Is it over?_ The thought makes him feel cold and afraid, and surely that's indication enough that the curse hasn't changed him completely. What monster would be so afraid of what's inside of him? He looks at Baekhyun and Jongdae, still asleep, looking for all the world like a normal wolf and fox. If they're completely changed, why is Minseok still himself? Is the last change for him coming today or tomorrow, or was he wrong about what the curse would do to him? Is this what it will be like, still feeling like himself but full of darkness out of his control?

He sees the way everyone looks at him, wondering and worrying, but he doesn't know what to say to reassure them when he's every bit as worried as they are. He doesn't want to say anything, afraid of what will come out of his mouth. He doesn't want to say something else cruel, something too horrible to be forgiven even if they do succeed in breaking the curse. Better to be quiet, to not interact with the others any more than he has to.

Nobody else tries to talk, beyond a "Good morning" and a "Let's get going?" from Han. That leaves Minseok a lot of time to think as they walk along in silence. An image grows in his head of himself standing sentry at a gate. On the other side of the gate, there's no enemy army, no horde of beasts. There's no one at all, only an amorphous cloud of darkness much larger than Minseok. It doesn't even make sense that a gate could hold back a cloud, but that's what he imagines, himself and one small gate against the darkness.

The truth is, it doesn't feel like that. It feels like the darkness is already taking hold everywhere, seeping into all the corners of his mind and taking over. It's hard to believe that there's any of him left to fight it, but there is, somehow. He doesn't even know _how_ he's fighting it, but he can feel it happening inside his mind. It's hard and exhausting and it would be so much easier to just give in. He's so tempted, selfishly, to give up, but he refuses to do that until he has no choice. As long as there's some goodness left in him, he won't let the curse win. He owes that much to his friends, and also to himself.

Minseok still feels the same at the end of the day, though there's no guarantee that he would notice if he wasn't. He's quiet all through dinner, lost in his head, and the others are quiet too, aside from Han's laughing protest when Jongdae steals a piece of dried meat out of his hand. Once, the sight would have made Minseok smile. Now, he feels...nothing, really, and that's a frightening thing.

In spite of his worries, Minseok falls asleep quickly, but he's woken up in the middle of the night by a hand—a paw, actually, on his shoulder, and the sound of Baekhyun growling. For a few seconds, he's annoyed at being woken up, but then he registers that if Baekhyun's growling, something must be wrong. "What is it?" he asks, struggling to get to his feet and grabbing his knife.

"It might be bandits," says Han, who was on watch. He's standing with his sword drawn. "I didn't hear anything, but Baekhyun woke up all of a sudden, and then Jongdae woke up when he growled." Minseok sees that Jongdae is nudging Kyungsoo awake. He gets up quickly, picking up his staff and looking out into the darkness.

"Are we close enough to the castle for soldiers?" Kyungsoo asks.

"I don't think so," Han whispers, "not unless they have some reason to be out searching here in the middle of the night." His eyes go wide as he thinks about that. "But they wouldn't..." He shakes his head as if he's trying to convince himself. "They can't know about me already, and they wouldn't get here so quickly unless they're on horseback. Do you hear horses?" he asks Baekhyun, who shakes his head.

"Bandits, then." Minseok holds up his knife, as if he actually knows how to fight with it. They've been lucky until now, avoiding contact with any dangerous people or animals. It was too much to hope that their luck would hold out for the entire journey.

"We just need to do enough to scare them off," Han says, keeping his voice low. "They won't be expecting a group like this. It shouldn't take much."

Baekhyun growls again, and Jongdae too. "Are they close?" Minseok asks. Baekhyun gives what Minseok takes to be an affirmative growl.

It's so dark beyond the reach of their fire that the bandits seem to materialize out of thin air. There's a lot of them—eight, Minseok quickly counts—and they're well armed. "Give us all your valuables and no one gets hurt," one man says.

"And why should we believe that?" Han, unlike Minseok, looks comfortable holding his sword, ready to fight. It's probably the most princely Minseok has ever seen him look.

"You don't have a choice, do you?" another bandit says, laughing.

"We don't want any trouble," Han says. "We have more important concerns than you."

The first man who spoke scoffs. "More important than us? If that's the way you're going to be, let's fight."

Minseok's grip tightens on his knife. These smug idiots have no idea what they've stumbled onto. Let them come, if that's what they want. He can't wait to rip them apart. He darts toward the nearest bandit, ready to slash at him, when suddenly there's a burst of strong wind blowing out from where they're standing, knocking the bandits away and to the ground. Magic, Minseok realizes. "What did you do that for?" he snaps at Kyungsoo, his knife still raised.

Baekhyun howls, shockingly loud at such close proximity. It serves a double function: first, realizing that they're up against a sorcerer with a wolf at his side, the bandits decide they want no part of this and run away. Second, it startles Minseok out of his murderous mood, making him realize that he's menacing _Kyungsoo_ with his knife now. He drops the weapon abruptly and it falls to the ground, narrowly missing his foot.

"Minseok—" Han starts, but Minseok shakes his head, backing away. He felt angry before, and even thought about killing, but none of that came close to the way he felt tonight. He wanted to make those bandits _hurt_ , and he can't believe he had those kinds of feelings inside of him, just waiting for the opportunity to come out. He turns and runs, but it's so dark out tonight that he doesn't get far before he stumbles and falls to the ground, scratching his hands on twigs.

He half expects Han to come after him, but instead it's Baekhyun and Jongdae (who can probably see much better in the darkness, or else just smell him). It hardly matters, really, who comes after him, because none of them can help him. He doesn't even try to get up, lying miserably facedown on the ground. "What's the point? You can't talk anymore, and there's nothing you could say that would help."

One of them nudges his shoulder, trying to make him turn over, and only when a hint of claws comes out does Minseok finally obey. "What do you want?" he demands. "Do you want to talk about how I was ready to hurt Kyungsoo because he stopped me from killing those bandits? Do you want to talk about how I'm _barely_ holding on and I'm scared to death of what will happen when I let go?" The words pour out of him before he can stop them, and he wishes he could take them back, but it's too late. "I don't know how to do this anymore, but what else can I do?"

Jongdae offers a sympathetic whine, but that just makes Minseok angrier. They've lost so much to this curse that they did nothing to deserve. He can't stand it, but he can't change it either. "I hate this. I hate it and I don't know what to do."

Baekhyun and Jongdae both snuggle up to him, trying to offer comfort without words. _Just a little longer,_ Minseok imagines Jongdae saying. _Just be strong for a little longer._ He's sure Baekhyun would make a joke to make everything feel less dire, but he can't begin to imagine what it would be.

"I promised I would fight it," Minseok says wearily, "and I'm trying, but I don't know how much longer I can do this. If we don't break the curse soon..."

He can barely see Baekhyun and Jongdae's faces in the darkness, but he doesn't have to see to know that there's still hope in their eyes, hope that the curse will break before Minseok does. _Please be right,_ he thinks. _And please let me be strong enough to hold out._


	8. Chapter 8

They arrive at the meeting place around high noon the next day, and then there's nothing to do but wait for Yixing. Everything feels so strained, and Han is helpless to do anything to fix it. Nothing can fix it except for breaking the curse. He desperately hopes that they interpreted his dreams correctly and the curse will be broken soon after they reach the castle. If not...he doesn't dare to think about the alternative.

Under other circumstances, it would be nice to be here with these people who have become his friends. The woods are peaceful, quiet except for the chirping of birds, with the brilliant green of new spring leaves and the pinks and purples of flowers beginning to bloom coloring the landscape. If things were different, if Minseok, Baekhyun and Jongdae were still the people who took him in all those weeks ago, they'd be talking, laughing, enjoying the warmer weather. Imagining that makes him smile, but it also hurts to think how different things could be.

_Soon,_ Han tells himself. Soon, the curse will be broken, and his own situation will be resolved, his name cleared. He hasn't thought too hard about how that will happen because he afraid it will mean Jeongsu's death and as much as his brother has hurt him, he won't be able to rejoice in his death. Still, if that's what it takes to keep the rest of them safe, it has to be done. He brought it on himself.

Rather than dwelling on that, Han comforts himself with thoughts of the future. Maybe he'll go back to living in the castle, restored to his former place. Then again, maybe he won't go back, at least not yet. Now that he's had a taste of life beyond the castle walls, the idea of seeing more of the kingdom, not only on short, purposeful trips but on long, relaxed journeys appeals. He wonders if he could convince Minseok to go with him, and maybe Baekhyun and Jongdae too. Baekhyun did say that he wanted to travel, if this experience hasn't cured him of that desire.

He thinks of walking through woods like this in another week or two, in the full blush of spring, the way he walked with Minseok in the wintry cold woods by their cabin. Would Minseok let Han hold his hand again, even on a warm day? Would he smile again, the way he used to? Han is afraid that the weight of the curse is so great that even when it's broken, Minseok will never be the same, but seeing flowers blooming reminds him that even the worst winter gives way to spring. There's always hope, as long as he holds onto it.

Yixing finally arrives late in the afternoon, breathless and apologetic. "I hope you weren't waiting too long. I came as quickly as I could."

"It's all right," Han assures him. "Sit and rest and tell us what happened."

"I spoke with Prince Yunho," Yixing says. "He's safe but becoming more and more concerned about what the crown prince might do. He thinks you should come as quickly as possible, and the two of you can discuss the situation and then explain it to the king and queen."

"Only I should go?" Han asks, looking around at his traveling companions. It may be complicated to get them into the castle, but they didn't come all this way to wait for him outside.

"I told the prince that there were others with us, including a sorcerer knowledgeable about magic. He suggested that you all come, if we can get you into the castle safely. I can hide the rest of you among the servants as necessary until we see how the king and queen will respond."

Jongdae barks once, which Han takes to mean "What about us?" Yixing assumes the same, answering, "You may prefer to stay outside of the city, but you should be safe if you stay close to us so you appear to be pets. And I hope there won't be any need to fight, but in the event that there is, your help wouldn't go amiss."

Jongdae exchanges a look with Baekhyun and then barks again, which Han translates this time as "We'll go."

"We'll all go, then?" Yixing asks. Baekhyun, Jongdae and Kyungsoo all nod. Minseok doesn't immediately, which worries Han for a moment, but finally he also agrees.

"Did you decide where we should meet?" Han asks.

"Prince Yunho said you should meet him in the boarded-off room where you played when you were young. I assume you know where that is, highness?"

Han nods. He remembers the room well, though it's been years since he and Yunho (and rarely Jeongsu) snuck in there to play. "That's a good place. No one will find us there. Should we go tonight?"

"We considered that, but Prince Yunho thought it would be easier to go unnoticed when the castle is busy tomorrow morning than in the middle of the night," Yixing says.

"We're going to sneak four people, a wolf and a fox into the castle during the day?" Minseok asks skeptically. "You don't think that might catch someone's attention?"

"That is a concern," Yixing admits.

"I may be able to help with that." All attention turns on Kyungsoo, which seems to make him uncomfortable. "I can make us invisible temporarily, perhaps leaving one or two people visible to get us through the gates."

Baekhyun makes a noise that somehow manages to sound indignant, and Han asks, "You can make people invisible? Why didn't you mention that before?" 

"It takes time to put the spell in place," Kyungsoo explains, a little sheepishly, "and I can't sustain it for this many people for more than two or three minutes. It should be enough to get us into the castle, but we'll have to do without it once we're inside."

"I think that will be enough," Yixing says. "We can split up inside if we have to, so we'll draw less attention to ourselves."

"Very well, then." Han's spent three weeks on the road anticipating what would happen at their destination, but it's hard to believe they're finally here. He hopes very much that everything will go smoothly, but remembering his dreams, he suspects it will be more complicated than what they're planning. "If we leave at first light, we'll arrive at the castle around breakfast time, when there should be some activity but not yet too many people around."

"Yes, highness, that seems best." Yixing smiles comfortingly at Han, though he doesn't think he's given any indication that he's worried. Yixing knows him well, though, and it makes sense that he would be worried when he's returning to the castle, breaking his exile and giving Jeongsu another opportunity to kill him or get him in a lot of trouble, if he finds him. "Let's get a good night's rest and set off first thing in the morning."

After dinner, Han takes the first watch, and everyone lies down to sleep, but after only a few minutes, Minseok sits up, then gets to his feet. Han tenses, afraid something is wrong, but Minseok only comes over to sit next to the fire with Han. "I'm afraid to sleep," he gruffly explains, staring into the fire. "I don't know who I'll be when I wake up."

Han wants to say something comforting, but words fail him. What is there to say? He's afraid too. Minseok still sounds like Minseok, but there have been many signs in recent days that he's changed a lot on the inside.

He's saved from needing to say something when Minseok continues, "In your dreams...what did you see? You've been quiet about them since the first time you dreamed of the curse breaking. I want to know what's coming."

"Kyungsoo did say that they shouldn't be interpreted literally," Han hedges. His most recent dream, in particular, is all too clear in his mind. It won't be any comfort to Minseok to tell him about that.

"I know that," Minseok says, "but they must mean something. Are they so terrible that you don't want to tell me?"

"No!" Han protests reflexively, though really that's the truth. "They've been...frightening. But the end is always the same, more or less. The darkness goes out of you and into my brother and he disappears along with it. I can't say that it won't still get worse, but it'll be all right in the end. I know it."

"I don't want to hurt you," Minseok says quietly, almost plaintive. "More than I already have."

"I know that's not you," Han says. "We all do." Afraid as he is of what's to come, he hasn't forgotten that, and he won't. "Go to sleep," he tells Minseok. "Whatever you wake up to, we'll deal with it. Just remember that it's almost over."

Minseok sighs and doesn't argue. Without a word, he returns to his sleeping place, where Jongdae wakes up just enough to snuggle closer to him. Minseok falls asleep quickly now, but Han continues watching him for a long time, desperately hoping that he'll still be Minseok when he wakes up.

 

***

 

There are cracks in the gate in Minseok's mind. He sees it so clearly as they walk to the capital city that it's hard to believe it isn't real, himself, that massive cloud of darkness, and a broken little gate, looking like all it would take is one touch for it to crumble to the ground. Unless they break the curse very soon, it's only a matter of time until he can't hold the darkness back any longer.

_I shouldn't be here,_ Minseok thinks, but they're so close. Besides, Han will be in danger when they reach the castle. They've all danced around the issue—aside from Yixing telling them this morning to try not to hurt anyone in the castle if they can help it, since that will make it more difficult to convince the king and queen that Han is not the dangerous prince—but they all know they may need to fight. Minseok tells himself that he should do one last thing for Han, get him safely to Prince Yunho. Once that's done, he can go away before he becomes a danger to Han himself. That may not be what Han's dreams say should happen, but it's what Minseok needs to do.

Minseok fingers the knives on his belt (he has Jongdae's too now, while Yixing took Baekhyun's) and deliberately doesn't think about using them on anyone. Instead, he imagines breaking through the gate and slashing at the cloud of darkness with both knives, cutting it into impotent little ribbons of darkness until it can't hurt him anymore. It makes about as much as sense as a gate holding back a cloud, but it makes him feel a little better all the same. _You won't win,_ he tells the darkness, stomping on the shreds of it. _I won't let you._

At last, they arrive at the walls of the capital city. The guards at the gate give them strange looks, mostly directed at Baekhyun and Jongdae, but make no effort to stop them. Minseok sees Han hiding under the hat Yixing brought from the castle for him, but between that and his grown-out hair partly covering his face, the guards don't give him a second glance. Nobody would expect a prince to look like Han does now, dirty from weeks on the road, on foot with a strange group of companions.

It's still early, but the city is already bustling, and even the battle going on in Minseok's head isn't enough to keep him from looking around in wonder. The town they stopped in was nothing compared to this, so full of people everywhere Minseok turns, narrow streets lined with houses and shops and taverns. It's a little overwhelming to a country boy like Minseok, but under different circumstances, he thinks he would enjoy exploring it with Baekhyun and Jongdae, and maybe Han.

They make their way to the castle at the center of the city without incident, aside from a little boy who asks in an awed voice, "Father, is that a wolf?" Minseok puts a possessive hand on Baekhyun's head to show that at least he's a tame wolf, and the man turns his son away from them.

They find a quiet corner just outside the castle for Kyungsoo to prepare his invisibility spell. They agreed that he would put it on himself, Han, Baekhyun and Jongdae, leaving Yixing and Minseok to talk to the guards and have the gate opened for them. Once they're inside, they'll head straight for the nearby castle gardens, where Yixing says they should be able to become visible without anyone seeing them. As Kyungsoo said, it takes some time, but after about five minutes, Minseok can no longer see anyone but Yixing.

"That's some trick," Yixing says. "Stay close so that no one will run into you and they won't close the gate on you. Let's go."

Minseok follows Yixing to the gate, trying to look like an ordinary servant with nothing to hide. He looks harmless (though right now, he isn't) so with any luck, he won't arouse any suspicion. "Good morning," Yixing greets the guards politely. "We're returning from an errand for Prince Yunho." 

The guards seem to recognize Yixing, and they only give Minseok a cursory glance before saying, "Go ahead." It seems too easy, but Minseok isn't going to object. He walks onto the castle grounds but resists the impulse to look around so it won't be obvious that he's never been here before. Yixing is already hurrying toward the gardens to find a safe place for the others to reappear, so Minseok goes after him. Safely hidden behind a cluster of trees, Kyungsoo drops the invisibility spell and he and the others abruptly reappear.

"That was impressive," Han says with a little laugh. He sounds nervous, probably less about what just happened than about what's to come.

"Where to now, highness?" Yixing asks. "We'll need you to lead the way for this part."

"This way," Han says, starting to walk. "We have to go around back near where the root cellar is. There's a place you can climb in."

They split into two groups to be less obtrusive, Yixing, Minseok and Han together, and Kyungsoo hanging back with Baekhyun and Jongdae. Han leads them into the castle itself, and at another time, Minseok would be curious to see it—he's never been in a castle, after all, and this is the place where Han grew up—but he can't focus now. It's as if all the negative feelings he's had over the past few weeks are trying to burst out at once, a confusing mix of anger and misery and jealousy and irritation and apathy toward his friends. He wants to scream and he wants to cry and he wants to hit something or someone, and it's all he can do to stay quiet and keep walking.

_Remember who you are,_ Minseok tells himself. It turns into a chant in his head, _Remember remember remember,_ but he can scarcely even remember what he's supposed to be remembering.

Suddenly, a group of servants comes hurrying in their direction, and Minseok tenses, barely stopping himself from pulling a knife on them. It's a good thing he didn't, because the servants go right past them. "What's wrong?" Yixing calls after them.

"The princes weren't at breakfast," one woman explains. "No one knows where they are. Have you seen Prince Yunho?"

Yixing starts to look over at Han to ask what to do and barely stops himself in time. "I haven't yet today," he tells the servant. "I only just returned from an errand. I'll help you look." He flashes a quick, apologetic glance in Han and Minseok's direction, then leaves with the group of servants.

"It's all right," Han whispers once they're out of earshot. "He'll keep them out of our way, and they won't find our meeting spot easily once we're inside." Despite his words, he sounds much more nervous than before, and Minseok can see why. The servant said both princes were missing, so it's possible that Prince Jeongsu has done something. In fact, given Han's dreams, it seems likely.

_This is bad,_ Minseok thinks. Yixing is gone, he's struggling to control himself, and there's no telling what they're walking into. They can't stop now, but Han has good reason to be worried.

Not a minute later, another group of servants approaches, and this time they come right at them. "Who are you?" one of them demands.

"We're just on our way to the stables," Han says, bobbing his head in what looks like a deferent gesture but also serves to hide his face.

"Go inside," the man says. "No one leaves the castle until we find the princes."

Han freezes, and Minseok is at a loss for what to do (though his instincts say to kill the men and be done with it), but Kyungsoo calmly steps forward. "Leave them to me," he tells Han. "Go on ahead."

"What are you talking about?" another one of the servants asks, but Minseok doesn't wait to find out, grabbing Han's arm to pull him along. Whatever is waiting for them, they need to get to it quickly or they'll never make it. Baekhyun and Jongdae run after them, leaving only Kyungsoo behind. Minseok looks back long enough to see him lift his staff, but whether it's to fight or to do some magic, he doesn't know. As long as it stops the servants from following them, he doesn't care.

They run now, since there's no point in trying to be unobtrusive anymore, and soon Han comes to a stop in front of what seems to Minseok to be an ordinary wall. "If we climb up here, there's a hole in the roof and you can drop into the room," Han explains. "Let's go." 

He and Minseok start climbing, but it's an impossible jump for Jongdae, and probably too high for Baekhyun too. Not only that, but they're only halfway up when two guards run over. "What are you doing?" one of them yells. "Come down!"

Minseok pauses, considering whether he should go back and fight them off, but then he hears Baekhyun and Jongdae growling. "What is this?" one of the guards yelps. _What a weakling,_ Minseok thinks, _to be so terrified of a little fox and a single wolf._

Han reaches the roof just before Minseok, but he hesitates at the edge of the hole. "I always hated this part," he admits.

"I'll go first," Minseok says. He grabs the edge of the hole and lowers himself into it, hoping it's still stable. He hangs down into a dimly lit room with a boarded-up doorway and drops to the ground. What he sees makes him immediately draw one of the knives from his belt. There are two men in the room, both sitting on chairs, but one is tied to the chair, blindfolded and gagged, lying limp in his bonds. The other stands up when he sees Minseok, looking up to where Han is coming through the hole in the ceiling. Are these Han's brothers?

Han lands nimbly, takes in the scene, and immediately draws his sword. "What did you do to him?" he demands.

"Don't worry, little brother. He's only unconscious. I haven't hurt him yet." The man, who must be Prince Jeongsu, does something with his hands, and suddenly a crackle of energy runs through the room. "There," the prince says smugly. "Now we won't be interrupted." 

Minseok looks up and sees that the doorway is no longer visible and the hole has gone opaque, so the only light comes from a torch on the wall and they're cut off from any help. There's only him, alone with the three princes.

 

***

 

Jeongsu smiles disarmingly, as if he's entertaining some noble in court instead of standing in a dark room holding Yunho prisoner. "Why don't you introduce your friend, little brother?"

"This is Minseok." Han doesn't take his eyes of Jeongsu. His brother has a sword too, but he hasn't drawn it. Han might be able to get to him faster than he could draw it, but then there's Jeongsu's magic to consider. If he's not holding a weapon, that's probably because he thinks he doesn't need it to stop Han.

"Hello, Minseok," Jeongsu says conversationally. "You've come into an interesting situation. You should know that I'm stronger than both my brothers, so I'm likely to be the victor here, and I am the crown prince, after all. If you join me now, I'll let you live and see that you're handsomely rewarded when I gain power."

Han still doesn't dare look away from Jeongsu, but he wants to see how Minseok is taking this. Will he get angry like he did with the bandits and attack Jeongsu? There's no way Minseok would listen to him, not after he's come all this way at Han's side.

"If you know Han, surely you've seen that he's weak. He'll never amount to anything, but I'm going to be king. I'll make it very worth your while to help me out here." 

"And why would you need me?" Minseok asks. He sounds...bored? Unimpressed? Han doesn't know what to make of that.

"Oh, I don't." Jeongsu grins. "But I have to properly punish my little brother for coming back here, and for being alive when he's supposed to be dead." He says it so lightly, but his words make Han shiver. Is this really who Jeongsu is now? Is this who he always was? "Come, Minseok, join me."

Han is waiting for Minseok to say no. He's waiting for Minseok to attack Jeongsu, or laugh in his face. He's waiting for anything except for Minseok to suddenly turn and hit his wrist with the handle of his knife, right on the bone, with enough force to make Han drop his sword. "Minseok!" he cries, and then all his dreams come back to him, especially the last one. _You fool,_ he thinks. _How could you not have known that this was coming?_ He was so busy trying to hold onto hope that he couldn't let himself seriously consider the possibility of Minseok turning on him like this.

Han tries to grab his sword, but suddenly his body feels impossibly heavy and he falls to the ground beside it instead. "Tie him up for me, Minseok." Jeongsu sounds so cheerful, and Han is filled with horror at the thought that all his fears are coming true.

"Why can't you do it yourself?" Minseok doesn't sound like Minseok anymore. He sounds cold, empty of any emotion, finally lost to the curse at the worst possible moment.

"I have to be sure you're really on my side," Jeongsu explains. "I'll hold him still for you, so he won't give you any trouble."

Han tries to lift his head to see what's going on, but he can barely lift it off the floor for a second, so he can't see until Minseok comes and stands over him. He remembers the dream he had like this, where Minseok told him he was foolish to be so trusting, and tears threaten to well up in his eyes before he pushes them back. He's helpless right now, but he won't show that weakness. 

In reality, Minseok says nothing, only lifts Han onto a chair and ties him securely to it with a length of rope. Han tries to speak, but just opening his mouth requires a herculean effort, so he gives up. If Minseok's really not in there, what good would it do? But no, he has to believe that this isn't the end. He has to believe that his dreams were right, that Minseok can still come back and they can find a way to defeat Jeongsu.

Once Minseok is finished, he takes a step back, and suddenly Han's body feels normal again. He struggles against the ropes, but Minseok did a good job and he can't get free. "Stop, please," he begs.

"And why would I stop?" Jeongsu asks.

"I'm not talking to you. Please, Minseok, I know this isn't you. You have to fight it." Han watches Minseok intently, but there's no change in his expression, not so much as a flicker.

"I must admit," Jeongsu cheerfully continues, "I didn't think he'd really turn on you. I could have defeated you both if necessary, but it's so much more fun like this. And it'll be even more fun to finish you off with an audience." He flicks his hand, and suddenly Yunho groans, shaking the chair he's on in an unsuccessful attempt to break free. "Welcome back to the land of the conscious. Han has decided to join us too. Isn't that nice, all three brothers together?"

Yunho makes an angry sound, but that's all he can do with the gag. "Now that we're all awake, let's get on with things," Jeongsu says. "Minseok, that's a nice knife you've got there. Why don't you use it on Han?"

Han's breath catches in his throat, and he watches in horror as Minseok comes toward him, knife in hand. "Please, Minseok." His voice shakes, but that doesn't matter. He has to get through to Minseok somehow. There must be some way to stop this. "Please, Minseok, don't do this. I know this isn't you. I know it's hard, but you have to fight. Please stop. Please, Minseok, help me."

Minseok laughs, a chilling sound Han heard all too often in his dreams. "This is me now," he says coldly.

"It's not," Han persists, even as Minseok lifts his knife. "I know you're still in there somewhere, and you have to fight. This is how the curse breaks, I know it. You just have to fight. Don't let it win."

"A curse, is that it?" Jeongsu asks. "I wish I'd thought of that myself, I must say."

"Please, Minseok." The cold blade of Minseok's knife touches his throat and Han is deathly afraid. What if he was wrong? What if his dreams weren't really showing the future, or he misunderstood them? What if he's right that the curse will break, but only after he dies? But no, he can't believe that. There has to be a way. "Please fight it. I know this isn't you."

"Whenever you're ready." Jeongsu comes up behind Minseok, smirking at Han over his shoulder. Yunho yells and shakes his chair, but there's nothing he can do.

"Please, Minseok, stop. I know this isn't you." Han's voice is softer now, with the blade at his throat, but he can't give up. The blade presses slightly into his throat, stinging, and he gasps. "I love you." The words burst out of him almost painfully. They're true, but he would never have wanted them to come out for the first time like this. Then again, if he was wrong about the curse breaking, this may be his only chance to say them.

Minseok is still, and Han has nothing to lose by continuing, so he babbles, "Please. I love you, Minseok. Not like this. I know who you are, because I love you, and this isn't you. Please stop. Don't do this. Minseok, please." Han is so terrified he can barely breathe, and he thinks, _Is this it?_ "Please, Minseok, I—"

And then he breaks off, because with shocking suddenness, Minseok whirls around and slashes Jeongsu's throat. For a moment, everything seems frozen, and Han can barely believe that what he's seeing is real, but then Jeongsu falls to the ground, clutching his throat. Minseok drops his knife and it clatters noisily to the floor. 

Minseok turns to Han, his eyes wide with horror. "I'm sorry," he gasps, but he doesn't have a chance to say anything more because the barrier abruptly disappears and people flood into the room through the no longer boarded up doorway.

Han is still staring at Minseok, but then he's surrounded by worried servants, including Yixing. "Are you all right, highness?" Yixing asks. He looks over at Minseok, taking in how he's not restrained like Han and Yunho, and Han sees recognition dawn on his face.

"Yixing, don't..." Han's voice comes out hoarse. "Don't let them hurt him. He saved my life." He also almost took Han's life, but that wasn't really Minseok. He doesn't deserve to pay for that.

"I understand, highness," Yixing says. "I'll look after him."

With three servants untying him, Han is free in no time. "Come with us, highness," says one of them, whose name Han would remember if he wasn't in shock. "The king and queen wish to see you." Han doesn't want to go, not before he can talk to Minseok, but the servants help him up, and he only manages one backward glance to see that Yixing is at Minseok's side before he's whisked away.

 

***

 

Everything feels unreal as the servants bustle around, freeing Han and Prince Yunho from their bonds and hurrying them away. It has to be unreal, because how could Minseok have killed someone? How could he have turned on Han? He fought against the curse for so long only to give in when it mattered most. He doesn't know how he can forgive himself for what he did, and he doesn't know how Han will be able to either.

"It's all right now," Yixing says gently, his hand on Minseok's shoulder. "It's over."

"Is it?" Minseok asks, still dazed.

"You saved the prince's life," Yixing says. "Both princes. That's all that matters."

Minseok wishes he could believe it's that simple, but he remembers the look in Han's eyes as he held his knife to Han's throat, how terrified he was of Minseok. He remembers how it felt to not care if Han died, even when he was begging for Minseok to come back to himself. _I love you,_ Han said, but how could he possibly love someone who would do that to him?

The pounding of feet makes Minseok look up just before Jongdae all but flings himself at him, hugging Minseok tight. "You're alive," he murmurs into Minseok's neck. "You're all right." He sounds immensely relieved, like for all his talk of hope, he doubted Minseok would get through this. "I thought..." He doesn't say what he thought, only concludes, "I'm so glad you're all right."

"We had no idea what was going on once you went up the wall," Baekhyun says. He can't get a hug of his own because Jongdae refuses to let go, so he pats Minseok's back instead. "We were just down the hall when we suddenly changed back, and then the barrier fell and everyone went running in. What happened?"

Minseok only shakes his head. He can't talk about it yet, especially not with other people around. Baekhyun doesn't press, but Jongdae hugs him just a little tighter.

"Let me take you to the guest rooms," Yixing says. "We'll get you some proper clothes, and perhaps a bath." Baekhyun, Minseok belatedly notices, is wearing what looks like an oversized jacket, and he's not sure about Jongdae.

"Stop crushing Minseok, Jongdae," Baekhyun says, teasing but soft. "You can cling to him later." Jongdae lets go, and a second later, Baekhyun steps in and gives Minseok a fierce hug.

"Hey!" Jongdae protests. 

"You can't be the only one who gets a hug," Baekhyun counters. To Minseok, he whispers, "We did it. It's over now," before letting go.

Minseok barely sees anything as they walk through the halls with Yixing. Jongdae puts an arm around him, and he lets himself be led around, trying not to think. The curse may be over, but he can't let everything that happened during it go so easily.

"I should go to the princes now," Yixing says, "but you'll be taken care of here. Ask for anything you need. I'll come check on you later."

The servants bring Baekhyun and Jongdae some clothes, but when they offer to draw a bath, Jongdae says, "Perhaps later, but could you please leave us alone for now?" The servants withdraw with a polite bow (what a thought, servants bowing to the likes of them), and finally they're alone. Minseok collapses onto the bed, feeling drained and empty, as if with the cursed parts gone, there's nothing left inside of him.

"What happened?" Baekhyun asks. "We got there too late to see anything. The crown prince is dead?"

Minseok nods while he tries to find his voice. "I killed him," he finally manages to say. 

Baekhyun and Jongdae's eyes go wide. Baekhyun gets over his surprise first. "He would've done killed you and Han if you didn't stop him," he says. "You did what you had to do."

That much Minseok can accept, though it will still take time to make peace with the fact that he killed someone, but that's not the worst of it. How will Baekhyun and Jongdae look at him when they hear it all? "You don't know what I did," he mutters.

Baekhyun frowns. "What do you mean?" 

Minseok swallows hard, bracing himself. His friends need to understand what happened, and he probably needs to talk about it, but it's so hard to get out. "I held a knife to Han's throat."

Baekhyun and Jongdae look confused. "Why did you do that?" Jongdae asks warily.

"I tied him up, and I held a knife to his throat. The crown prince said I should kill him, and I almost did." It's amazing how even Minseok's voice is, considering the turmoil inside of him. The shock is passing, and that's worse in a way because he has to face what happened.

"But...why?" Baekhyun asks, but Minseok can see that they both already know, and he hates the way they're looking at him, with a mix of pity and horror.

"The crown prince offered me a reward if I helped him, and so I did. I didn't...I didn't see any reason not to." Looking back now, the thought fills Minseok with revulsion, but at the time, he simply didn't care, and he still remembers how that felt. "I was ready to kill Han."

"But you didn't," Jongdae says. "That's all that matters. You were able to do the right thing."

Minseok shakes his head. "I couldn't fight it. I didn't want to fight it anymore."

"Then how...?" Baekhyun asks.

"The curse broke," Minseok explains. He laughs, but it sounds strained and brittle to his ears. "It was love after all, the way to break the curse. Han said he loved me and it broke. That's the only thing that stopped me from killing him. I wasn't strong enough to stop myself."

Silence follows his words. It's clearly that Jongdae and Baekhyun are struggling with this, struggling to reconcile the Minseok they know with the one who almost killed a friend. Not just a friend: the man who loves him. Minseok rubs a hand over his face, struggling with it himself. Han loves him, and he trusted him, and this is how Minseok repaid him.

Jongdae sits down next to Minseok and puts an arm around him, and Baekhyun does the same on the other side. "Look at me," Jongdae says, his voice soft now. Reluctantly, Minseok meets his eyes and sees that Jongdae doesn't look shocked or unnerved anymore, only sad. "When Baekhyun and I were changing, would you have told us that we should be able to fight it? That we should be able to control ourselves and just _not_ get fur or tails? That if we just tried hard enough, we'd be able to talk with animal mouths?"

"Of course not," Minseok says gruffly. "How could you?"

"Then why should you be able to?" Jongdae asks. "It was the same curse on all of us. If you believe that it was out of our control, you should believe the same about yourself. You shouldn't judge yourself any more than you did us."

"But I tried." Minseok chokes on the last word and draws in a shaky breath. "I tried so hard to fight at the end, and then I just...stopped."

"Because it was the end," Baekhyun says. "There was nothing left of you to fight, so how could you?"

"But it _was_ me," Minseok protests. "I remember it all."

"And I remember being a wolf," Baekhyun counters with a shaky laugh. "And Jongdae remembers being a fox. But that wasn't us, and that wasn't you. I don't doubt it for one second, and I'm sure Han doesn't either."

It's hard to accept, but Minseok puts his head down on Jongdae's shoulder and tries to relax in his friends' arms. They're warm and comforting and human again, finally. The curse is over, and they can start to move on from it. He's still full of doubts, but maybe in time, he'll be able to believe, as surely as his friends do, that he's not the person the curse made him.

 

***

 

It takes a long time for Han to explain to the king and queen what happened. He lies, saying that Jeongsu used magic to compel Minseok to tie him up, but Minseok was able to break through it. Yunho backs him up without question, to his immense relief. He explains again what happened before, how Jeongsu framed him, adding in how he used magic to make Han sick, and this time, his parents believe him. In a twisted way, Jeongsu did him a favor by kidnapping Yunho and having him and Han tied up when everyone else found them. It makes it easier to convince everyone that he was the dangerous one, not Han.

His parents want to speak to Minseok too, but Han pleads with them to wait until tomorrow. "He's had a difficult day," Han says. "Please give him a chance to rest. He saved my life. Surely that's enough to prove that he's no longer a threat." That's all true, though it's far from the whole truth.

"Very well," the king says. "You two get some rest as well. We'll discuss this more tomorrow. You're dismissed."

Yixing is waiting outside the room, looking worried. "It's all right now," Han tells him. "They believed me."

Yixing heaves a big sigh of relief. "Thank you for your help in all of this," Yunho tells him. "I'll let you return to serving Han, now that he's back home."

"Thank you, highness." Yixing bows deeply.

Yunho walks with Han down the familiar halls toward his old room. "There's a lot we need to talk about as well, but that can wait, if you prefer."

"I think that would be best," Han says. He needs to sort out his feelings and talk to Minseok, and that will be more than enough for one day. "But you won't..." He looks around nervously, and the servants pretend not to be paying attention. They'll be discreet, whatever he says. "You understand, don't you, what happened?"

"I understand enough," Yunho says. "You can tell me the rest tomorrow." He pulls Han into a hug. It's not very princely behavior, now that they're grown up, but Han thinks they can be forgiven, under the circumstances. "I'm glad you're safe, little brother. And I'm glad you're home."

"So am I," Han says. It hurts to think of Jeongsu right now, but at least he has one brother who loves him.

Walking into his familiar rooms makes it feel as if nothing has changed, and yet so much has. Han has been away for months, and experienced so much, good and bad. He almost died twice, but he's still here, in spite of everything. It's too much to take in all at once without being overwhelmed, but it'll be all right, in time.

"What can I do for you, highness?" Yixing asks. He smiles gently at Han, and it's comforting to know that someone understands what he's going through.

"A bath would be nice," Han says. There's a lot more that he needs, but that's a start. "And Yixing?"

"Yes, highness?"

"Thank you for everything."

Yixing beams at him before he bows politely. "It's always been my honor to serve you, highness, and I'm happy to be able to do it again."

Han washes off the dirt of his travels, and with it, the worst of his feelings about what happened today. He was so scared earlier, so shocked by Minseok's actions and so angry with himself for not realizing that this was what his dreams were foreshadowing, but it doesn't matter now. He's alive and the curse is broken and Minseok—the real Minseok—saved his life, so what happened before that isn't important.

"I love you." He tries out the words on the empty room, seeing how they feel when he's not afraid for his life. In spite of everything, they make him smile. How will Minseok respond if he says them again when it's really Minseok? He'll find out soon, he hopes.

When he's clean and dressed, Han asks Yixing to go fetch Minseok. He could go himself, and he will later, so he can see Baekhyun and Jongdae back to their old selves, but right now, he needs to talk to Minseok alone. Yixing goes and returns soon after with Minseok. He's washed up too, and dressed in clean clothes, and he looks much calmer than when Han saw him last, but he's drooping, his eyes downcast. "Thank you, Yixing," Han says. "Leave us, please."

Once the door closes, Minseok asks, "Are you sure you want to be alone with me?"

"I know you won't hurt me," Han says firmly.

"Do you?" Minseok sounds so dejected that Han wants nothing more than to give him a hug, but it's too soon for that.

"I do." Han stops for a moment, thinking of what he wants to say. "I meant what I said earlier. All of it. I know that wasn't you."

"I should have been able to stop." Minseok sighs. "Baekhyun and Jongdae already told me not to say that, or to think it. I understand that it was the curse, but I fought it for so long. Why couldn't I keep fighting when it mattered most? I almost killed you."

"But you didn't. 'Almost' doesn't matter." Minseok doesn't look convinced, so Han continues, "Did you notice that Jongdae and Baekhyun looked completely like animals for three days? Maybe they weren't entirely changed inside, but it looked to me like there was nothing human left of them. Three days from the endpoint of the curse, and you were still holding on. That tells me that you fought as hard as you possibly could for as long as you could. You can't blame yourself for not being impossibly strong."

Minseok is still standing by the door, so Han gets up and goes over to him, taking his hands. Slowly, Minseok looks up at him, and Han smiles. It's been a difficult day, and it makes him sad to see Minseok like this, but he finds he doesn't have to force himself to smile. "I meant _everything_ I said. I love you." Minseok stares at him like he can't believe what he's hearing, and that only makes Han smile wider. "I mean it. I love you."

"Han, I..." Minseok is still staring, disbelieving.

"It's all right. You don't have to say anything. But I want you to know that that's how I feel. What happened didn't change it." A thought occurs to him. "If that's what broke the curse, you know it must be true love, right?"

Minseok smiles just a little, crooked, like his face isn't sure what to do with the expression. "I don't understand. After everything..."

"You don't have to understand it," Han says. "It's not that kind of feeling." All he knows is that he nearly died today, and he nearly lost Minseok in a horrible way, and after all of that, he's going to take this good feeling and hold on tight to it. "You said a while ago that if my feelings hadn't changed by the time it was all over, I should ask you if we could try again. So I'm asking now: will you give me another chance, now that the curse is broken?"

"You still want that?" Minseok sounds doubtful, but Han thinks he looks a little bit lighter now, as though some of the weight of his earlier actions has lifted from his shoulders.

"I do. If you don't mind staying in the castle with me, at least for now."

"In the castle?" Minseok echoes. "Me, in the castle?"

Han grins. "Yes, you. As a prince's guest."

Minseok is quiet for a while, and Han waits, trying not to show his impatience. Finally, he says, "Han, you know, even though the curse is gone, it's not...it doesn't all just go away."

"I know." There will be scars on both of them after what they've been through in the last few months, something no amount of love can magically erase. "For me too. But I don't care."

Minseok smiles again, and this time it settles more comfortably on his face, like it belongs there. "I still don't understand, but...thank you."

"For what?" Han asks.

"For always believing in me, no matter what. I..." And there it is at last, that smile Han remembers but hasn't seen in so long. It's still a little weak, but it makes Han believe that much more strongly that Minseok will get through this. "I think...I love you."

"You think?" Even with that qualifier, Minseok's words bring a big smile to his face.

"It's all a little too much today," Minseok says sheepishly. "Ask me tomorrow, and maybe I'll know for sure."

"All right," Han says. "I can wait." He squeezes Minseok's hands, and pulls him in closer. "Minseok?"

"Yes?" Minseok asks.

"Can I kiss you?"

There are a lot of emotions playing over Minseok's face, good ones like happiness and hope, but also bad ones, like fear and uncertainty. Still, after seeing how blank and closed off Minseok got toward the end of the curse, Han is happy to see any emotions on his face. There's time to make the bad ones go away. Minseok smiles, and there's a little twinkle back in his eye as he says, "If you want to."

"I do." Han leans in slowly and kisses Minseok. It's only a soft, chaste kiss, but right now, after everything, it's enough to make Han feel that everything is right with the world.

 

***

 

Han walks Minseok back to the guest rooms, holding his hand like he never wants to let go. Minseok is full of conflicting emotions after talking to Han, but ultimately, he feels something he hasn't in a while: hope. He has friends who believe in him and Han, who loves him. They're free from the curse, and Han is safe from his brother. They can start to move forward, away from all this hardship, and things will be better.

"Baekhyun and Jongdae are going to tease us, aren't they?" Han says.

"Of course." Minseok smiles at the thought. He never thought he'd miss his friends teasing so much, but it just wasn't right for them to be unable to talk the way they always do.

"You'd think maybe here in the castle, they'd care that I'm a prince," Han says wryly.

"I doubt it."

"You know, at this point, I don't really mind." Han squeezes Minseok's hand.

When they open the door, they find not only Baekhyun and Jongdae but also Kyungsoo. Kyungsoo is standing on the corner, and Baekhyun is clinging to his arm and laughing hysterically. Jongdae is sitting on the bed and also laughing, and Kyungsoo looks a little like he wants to die, but Minseok also thinks he spots a tiny smile on his lips.

"There you are, Kyungsoo," Han says. "Yixing said he couldn't find you, and we thought maybe you ran away as soon as things were done."

"I didn't," Kyungsoo says.

"Kyungsoo's been keeping us company since you stole Minseok away from us," Baekhyun says cheerfully, still holding onto Kyungsoo's arm. "Did you have fun?" He winks exaggeratedly.

"Tons," Minseok answers. For just a second, Baekhyun looks surprised to have Minseok banter back, but then he remembers and positively beams. It's really good to see Baekhyun look so happy again.

"Are you going to spend the night, Han?" Jongdae asks. "There's room in this gigantic bed for all of us."

Han smiles. "I wouldn't mind, but I don't think that would be proper in the castle."

"Another time, then," Jongdae says. "Somewhere else."

"Are you staying in the castle from now on?" Baekhyun asks.

"For now," Han says. "And..." He looks at Minseok.

"I'm going to stay too," Minseok says, "for now."

"Are we invited too?" Baekhyun asks. "Or are you going to steal our friend and send us home?" He's as shameless as ever, but then he looks a bit embarrassed, remembering too late that Han is a prince and they're in the castle, where it matters more.

"You're welcome to stay too," Han says. "All of you."

"What do you say, Minseok?" Jongdae asks. "Do you want to get rid of us?" He's mostly joking, but Jongdae is tactful enough to acknowledge that maybe Minseok doesn't want a repeat of his experience back at the cabin, with his friends always underfoot. It doesn't matter, though, because Minseok is happy to have so many people he cares about, and who care about him, here in one place. (Even Kyungsoo, who's still hiding in the corner, looking relieved that Baekhyun's attention is elsewhere.)

"I suppose it would be all right, if you stay too." Minseok says.

Jongdae gets up from the bed to throw his arms around Minseok. "Sorry, Han," he says, not sounding sorry at all. "I've been very hug deprived."

"That's all right," Han says. Jongdae lets go of Minseok and gives Han a hug too. Judging by his happy smile, he doesn't mind that either.

"What about you, Kyungsoo?" Baekhyun asks. "Are you going to stay with us?"

Kyungsoo's eyes go so wide that they all burst out laughing, and oh, it feels so good to laugh like this again, and to see that they still can, after everything. "I think I'll head home soon," Kyungsoo says once the laughter dies down.

"Can we at least come visit you, when we're back in the area again?" Baekhyun asks.

Minseok half expects Kyungsoo to refuse, and maybe even to threaten to turn Baekhyun into a toad for good measure, but after a moment, he shrugs. "I guess that would be all right." Baekhyun looks so smug at that response that they all laugh again.

Han hasn't let go of Minseok's hand this whole time, and Baekhyun eyes their joined hands. "So I take it things are good with you?" There's something serious in his eyes, despite the seemingly light question, and Minseok makes sure to smile to reassure him.

"Things are very good," he says.

"Good," Baekhyun says.

"If there's any justice in the world," Jongdae adds, "you two will be very happy from now on."

Han catches Minseok's eye, smiling brightly. "We all will."

 

***

 

Once upon a time, there was a man. He was a good man, kind and generous, slow to anger and quick to forgive, strong but not inflexible. He was a quiet man, unremarkable, but he was a good man.

There was another man who was also good, kind and caring, positive and trusting. He was an important man, a prince, but humble, without pretention.

The two men fell in love with each other, with the other's strength and optimism, generosity and caring. In a better world, they might simply have been happy together, but the world was not kind to these men. Dark magic and cruel men took things that mattered from them, but neither dark magic nor cruelty could take everything from them, not their love or the people who cared about them.

Dark magic tried to destroy them, but they rose above it. Instead, it was dark magic that was destroyed, at least for the moment, leaving happiness and peace behind. There was still darkness and monsters in the world, but there was also justice, and so the two men and all their friends lived happily ever after.


End file.
